THE  LIBRARY 


THE  UNIVERSITY 


OF  CALIFORNIA 


LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

Peter  Scott 


ANDREAS    HOFER. 


ANDREAS   HOFER 


Qln  tjietorical  N 


BY 
L.    MUHLBACH 


AUTHOR   OF  JOSEPH   II.    AND   HIS  COURT,    FREDERICK  THE   GREAT   AND   HIS   COURT, 
BERLIN    AND   SANS-SOUCI,    THE   MERCHANT   OF   BERLl>.,    ETC. 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  GERMAN  BY 

F.  JORDAN 


FUNK  &  WAGNALLS  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 
1907 


COPYRIGHT,  1808,  1898, 
B*  D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  Flo* 

I.—1809 1 

II. — The  Emperor  Francis 13 

III. — The  Courier  and  the  Ambassador      ....  26 

IV. — The  Emperor  and  his  Brothers 89 

V.— The  Performance  of  "The  Creation".       .       .       •  W 

VI. — Andreas  Hofer      .                        62 

VII.— Andreas  Hofer  at  the  Theacra    .               ...  76 

VIII. — Consecration  of  the  Flags,  and  Farewell  ...  83 

IX.— Tis  Time ! 9C 

X. — Anthony  Wallner  of  Windisch-Matrey      .       .       .  106 

XL— The  Declaration  of  Love 117 

XII.— Farewell! 129 

XIIL— The  Bridegroom 135 

XIV.— The  Bridge  of  St.  Lawrence 147 

XV.— The  Bridge  of  Laditch 155 

XVI.— On  the  Sterzinger  Moos 166 

XVII.— The  Hay- Wagons 177 

XVIII.— Capture  of  Innspruck 185 

XIX.— The  Capitulation  of  Wiltau 196 

XX.— Eliza  Wallner's  Return 215 

XXL— The  Catastrophe 222 

XXIL— Eliza  and  Ulrich 232 

XXIIL— The  Triumph  of  Death 252 

XXIV.— The  Archduke  John  at  Comoru.                               .  86P 


2227643 


iv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAOE 

XXV.— The  Emperor  Francis  at  Woliersdorf    .        .        .278 
XXVI.— The  Reply  of  the  King  of  Prussia.        .        .        .293 

XXVII.— The  Battle  of  Wagram 304 

XX VIII.— The  Armistice  of  Znaym 311 

XXIX. — Hofer  and  Speckbacher 322 

XXX.— The  Capuchin's  Oath 331 

XXXI.— The  First  Battle 344 

XXXII.— The  Fifteenth  of  August  at  Innspruck  .        .        .353 

XXXIII. — Andreas  Hofer,  the  Emperor's  Lieutenant     .        .    867 

XXXIV.— The  Fifteenth  of  August  at  Comorn      .        .        .375 

XXXV. — A  Day  of  the  Emperor's  Lieutenant       .        .        .    390 

XXXVI.— The  Lovers 401 

XXXVII.— Elza's  Return 413 

XXXVIII.— The  Wedding     .  ....    421 

XXXIX.— The  Treaty  of  Peace.       .        -  432 

XL.— Dreadful  Tidings 447 

XLI. — Betrayal  and  Seizure  of  Hofer        .  458 

XLII.— The  Warning    .       .  ....    472 

XLIIL— The  Flight 479 

XLIV.— Andreas  flofer's  JDeatn 492 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Muara 

PAGE 

Portrait  of  Andreas  Hofer Frontispiece 

Hofer's  Farewell  to  his  Wiie 103 

Eliza  Wallner  brining  the  Wine 162 

J  prising  of  the  Tyrol  esc     .........  844 


ANDREAS  HOFER 


CHAPTER  I. 

1809. 

THE  year  1809  had  come ;  but  the  war  against  France,  so 
intensely  longed  for  by  all  Austria,  had  not  yet  broken  out, 
and  the  people  and  the  army  were  vainly  waiting  for  the  war- 
cry  of  their  sovereign,  the  Emperor  Francis.  It  is  true,  not  a 
few  great  things  had  been  accomplished  in  the  course  of  the 
past  year:  Austria  had  armed,  organized  the  militia,  strength- 
ened her  fortresses,  and  filled  her  magazines ;  but  the  emperor 
still  hesitated  to  take  the  last  and  most  decisive  step  by  crown- 
ing his  military  preparations  with  a  formal  declaration  of 
war. 

No  one  looked  for  this  declaration  of  war  more  intensely 
than  the  emperor's  second  brother,  the  Archduke  John,  a 
young  man  of  scarcely  twenty-seven.  He  had  been  the  soul 
of  all  the  preparations  which,  since  the  summer  of  1808,  had 
been  made  throughout  Austria;  he  had  conceived  the  plan  of 
organizing  the  militia  and  the  reserves;  and  had  drawn  up 
the  proclamation  of  the  12th  of  May,  1808,  by  which  all  able- 
bodied  Austrians  were  called  upon  to  take  up  arms.  But  this 
exhausted  his  powers;  he  could  organize  the  army,  but  could 
not  say  to  it,  "  Take  the  field  against  the  enemy ! "  The  em- 
peror alone  could  utter  this  word,  and  he  was  silent. 

"And  he  will  be  silent  until  the  favorable  moment  has 
passed,"  sighed  the  Archduke  John,  when,  on  returning  from 
a  very  long  interview  with  the  emperor,  he  was  alone  with 
his  friend,  General  Nugent,  in  his  cabinet. 

He  had  communicated  to  this  confidant  the  full  details  of 
his  interview  with  the  emperor,  and  concluded  his  report  by 

(l) 


2  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

saying,  with  a  deep  sigh,  "  The  emperor  will  be  silent  until 
the  favorable  moment  has  passed !  " 

Count  Nugent  gazed  with  a  look  of  heart-felt  sympathy 
into  the  archduke's  mournful  face ;  he  saw  the  tears  filling 
John's  large  blue  eyes ;  he  saw  that  he  firmly  compressed  his 
lips  as  if  to  stifle  a  cry  of  pain  or  rage,  and  that  he  clinched 
his  hands  in  the  agony  of  his  despair.  Animated  by  tender 
compassion,  the  general  approached  the  archduke,  who  had 
sunk  into  a  chair,  and  laid  his  hand  gently  on  his  shoulder. 
4 '  Courage,  courage !"  he  whispered;  ''nothing  is  lost  as  yet, 
and  your  imperial  highness — " 

"Ah,  why  do  you  address  me  with  'imperial  highness'?  " 
cried  the  archduke,  almost  indignantly.  "Do  you  not  see, 
then,  that  this  is  a  miserable  title  by  which  Fate  seems  to 
mock  me,  and  which  it  thunders  constantly,  and,  as  it  were, 
sneeringly  into  my  ears,  in  order  to  remind  me  again  and 
again  of  my  deplorable  powerlessness  ?  There  is  nothing  '  im- 
perial '  about  me  but  the  yoke  under  which  I  am  groaning  ; 
and  my  '  highness '  is  to  be  compared  only  with  the  crumbs  of 
Lazarus  which  fell  from  the  rich  man's  table.  And  yet  there 
are  persons,  Nugent,  who  envy  me  these  crumbs — men  who 
think  it  a  brilliant  and  glorious  lot  to  be  an  '  imperial  high- 
ness,' the  brother  of  a  sovereign  emperor !  Ah,  they  do  not 
know  that  this  title  means  only  that  I  am  doomed  to  everlast- 
ing dependence  and  silence,  and  that  the  emperor's  valet  de 
chambre  and  his  private  secretary  are  more  influential  men 
than  the  Archduke  John,  who  cannot  do  anything  but  submit, 
be  silent,  and  look  on  in  idleness." 

"Now  your  imperial  highness  slanders  yourself,"  exclaimed 
Count  Nugent.  "You  have  not  been  silent,  you  have  not 
looked  on  in  idleness,  but  have  worked  incessantly  and  cour- 
ageously for  the  salvation  of  your  people  and  your  country. 
Who  drew  up  the  original  plan  for  the  organization  of  the 
militia  and  the  reserves  ?  Who  elaborated  its  most  minute 
details  with  admirable  sagacity  ?  It  was  the  Archduke  John 
— the  archduke  in  whom  all  Austria  hopes,  and  who  is  the  last 
refuge  and  comfort  of  all  patriots  ! " 

"  Ah,  how  much  all  of  you  are  to  be  pitied,  my  friend,  if 
you  hope  in  me  ! "  sighed  John.  "  What  am  I,  then  ?  A  poor 


THE   YEAR    1809.  3 

atom  which  is  allowed  to  move  in  the  glare  of  the  imperial 
sun,  but  which  would  be  annihilated  so  soon  as  it  should  pre- 
sume to  be  an  independent  luminary.  Pray,  Nugent,  do  not 
speak  of  such  hopes  ;  for,  if  the  emperor  should  hear  of  it,  not 
only  would  my  liberty  be  endangered,  but  also  yours  and  that 
of  all  who  are  of  your  opinion.  The  empei-or  does  not  like 
to  see  the  eyes  of  his  subjects  fixed  upon  me  ;  every  kind  word 
uttered  about  me  sours  him  and  increases  the  ill-will  with 
which  he  regards  me." 

"  That  is  impossible,  your  highness,"  exclaimed  the  count. 
''  How  can  our  excellent  emperor  help  loving  his  brother,  who 
is  so  gifted,  so  high-minded  and  learned,  and  withal  so  modest 
and  kind-hearted  ?  How  can  he  help  being  happy  to  see  that 
others  love  and  appreciate  him  too  ? " 

"  Does  the  emperor  love  my  brother  Charles,  who  is  much 
more  gifted  and  high-minded  than  I  am  ?  "  asked  John,  shrug- 
ging his  shoulders.  "  Did  he  not  arrest  his  victorious  career, 
and  recall  him  from  the  army,  although,  or  rather  because,  he 
knew  that  the  army  idolized  him,  and  that  all  Austria  loved 
him  and  hoped  in  him  ?  Ah,  believe  me,  the  emperor  is  dis- 
trustful of  all  his  brothers,  and  all  our  protestations  of  love 
and  devotedness  do  not  touch  him,  but  rebound  powerlessly 
from  the  armor  of  jealousy  with  which  he  has  steeled  his 
heart  against  us.  You  see,  I  tell  you  all  this  with  perfect 
composure,  but  I  confess  it  cost  me  once  many  tears  and  in- 
ward struggles,  and  it  was  long  before  my  heart  became  calm 
and  resigned.  My  heart  long  yearned  for  love,  confidence,  and 
friendship.  I  have  got  over  these  yearnings  now,  and  resigned 
myself  to  be  lonely,  and  remain  so  all  my  life  long.  That  is 
to  say,"  added  the  archduke,  with  a  gentle  smile,  holding  out 
his  hand  to  the  count,  "  lonely,  without  a  sister,  without  a 
brother — lonely  in  my  family.  However,  I  have  found  a 
most  delightful  compensation  for  this  loneliness,  for  I  call  you 
and  Hormayr  friends  ;  I  have  my  books,  which  always  com- 
fort, divert,  and  amuse  me  ;  and  last,  I  have  my  great  and 
glorious  hopes  regarding  the  future  of  the  fatherland.  Ah, 
how  could  I  say  that  I  was  poor  and  lonely  when  I  am  so  rich 
in  hopes,  and  have  two  noble  and  faithful  friends  ?  I  am  sure, 
Nugent,  you  will  never  desert  me,  but  stand  by  me  to  the  end 


4-  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

— to  the  great  day  of  victory,  or  to  the  end  of  our  humiliation 
and  disgrace  ? " 

"  Your  imperial  highness  knows  full  well  that  my  heart 
will  never  turn  from  you  ;  that  I  love  and  revere  you  ;  that 
you  are  to  me  the  embodiment  of  all  that  is  noble,  great,  and 
beautiful  ;  that  I  would  be  joyfully  ready  at  any  hour  to  suf- 
fer death  for  you  ;  and  that  neither  prosperity  nor  adversity 
could  induce  me  to  forsake  you.  You  are  the  hope  of  my 
heart,  you  are  the  hope  of  my  country — nay,  the  hope  of  all 
Germany.  We  all  need  your  assistance,  your  heart,  your 
arm  ;  for  we  expect  that  you  will  place  yourself  at  the  head  of 
Germany,  and  lead  us  to  glorious  victories  !  " 

"  God  grant  that  the  hour  when  we  shall  take  the  field 
may  soon  come  !  Then,  my  friend,  I  shall  prove  that  I  am 
ready,  like  all  of  you,  to  shed  my  heart's  blood  for  the  father- 
land, and  conquer  or  die  for  the  liberty  of  Austria,  the  liberty 
of  Germany.  For  in  the  present  state  of  affairs  the  fate  of 
Germany,  too,  depends  on  the  success  of  our  arms.  If  we  suc- 
cumb and  have  to  submit  to  the  same  humiliations  as  Prussia, 
the  whole  of  Germany  will  be  but  a  French  province,  and  the 
freedom  and  independence  of  our  fatherland  will  be  destroyed 
for  long  years  to  come.  I  am  too  weak  to  survive  such  a 
disgrace.  If  Austria  falls,  I  shall  fall  too  ;  if  German  liberty 
dies,  I  shall  die  too.''* 

"  German  liberty  will  not  die  !  "  exclaimed  Count  Nugent, 
enthusiastically  ;  "  it  will  take  the  field  one  day  against  all 
the  powerful  and  petty  tyrants  of  the  fatherland.  Then  it  will 
choose  the  Archduke  John  its  general-in-chief,  and  he  will 
lead  it  to  victory  !  " 

"  No,  no,  my  friend,''  said  John,  mournfully  ;  "  Fate  re- 
fuses to  let  me  play  a  decisive  part  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
My  role  will  always  be  but  a  secondary  one  ;  my  will  will  al- 
ways be  impeded,  my  arm  will  be  paralyzed  forever.  You 
know  it.  You  know  that  I  am  constantly  surrounded  by 
secret  spies  and  eavesdroppers,  who  watch  me  with  lynx-eyed 
vigilance,  and  misrepresent  every  step  I  take.  It  was  always 
so,  and  will  remain  so  until  I  die  or  become  a  decrepit  old 

*  The  Archduke  John's  own  words.- — See  "Forty-eight  Letters  from 
Archduke  John  of  Austria  to  Johannes  von  Miiller,"  p.  90. 


THE   YEAR    1809.  5 

man,  whose  arm  is  no  longer  able  to  wield  the  sword  or  even 
the  pen.  That  I  am  young,  that  I  have  a  heart  for  the  suffer- 
ings of  my  country,  a  heart  not  only  for  the  honor  of  Austria, 
but  for  that  of  Germany — that  is  what  gives  umbrage  to  them, 
what  renders  me  suspicious  in  their  eyes,  and  causes  them  to 
regard  me  as  a  revolutionist.  I  had  to  suffer  a  good  deal  for 
my  convictions  ;  a  great  many  obstacles  were  raised  against 
all  my  plans  ;  and  yet  I  desired  only  to  contribute  to  the  wel- 
fare of  the  whole  ;  I  demanded  nothing  for  myself,  but  every 
thing  for  the  fatherland.  To  the  fatherland  I  wished  to  de- 
vote my  blood  and  my  life  ;  for  the  fatherland  I  wished  to 
conquer  in  the  disastrous  campaign  of  1805.  However,  such 
were  not  the  plans  of  my  adversaries  ;  they  did  not  wish  to 
carry  on  the  war  with  sufficient  energy  and  perseverance  ; 
they  would  not  give  my  brother  Charles  and  me  an  oppor- 
tunity to  distinguish  ourselves  and  gain  a  popular  name. 
Whenever  I  planned  a  vigorous  attack,  I  was  not  permitted  to 
carry  it  into  effect.  Whenever,  with  my  corps,  I  might  have 
exerted  a  decisive  influence  upon  the  fortunes  of  the  war,  I 
was  ordered  to  retreat  with  my  troops  to  some  distant  position 
of  no  importance  whatever  ;  and  when  I  remonstrated,  they 
charged  me  with  rebelling  against  the  emperor's  authority. 
Ah,  I  suffered  a  great  deal  in  those  days,  and  the  wounds 
which  my  heart  received  at  that  juncture  are  bleeding  yet.  I 
had  to  succumb,  when  the  men  who  had  commenced  the  war 
at  a  highly  unfavorable  time,  conducted  it  at  an  equally  un- 
favorable moment,  and  made  peace.  And  by  that  peace  Aus- 
tria lost  her  most  loyal  province,  the  beautiful  Tyrol,  one  of 
the  oldest  states  of  the  Hapsburgs  ;  and  her  most  'fertile  prov- 
ince, the  territory  of  Venetia  and  Dalmatia,  for  which  I  did 
not  grieve  so  much,  because  it  always  was  a  source  of  political 
dissensions  and  quarrels  for  the  hereditary  provinces  of  Aus- 
tria. What  afflicted  me  most  sorely  was  the  loss  of  the  Tyrol, 
and  even  now  I  cannot  think  of  it  without  the  most  profound 
emotion.  It  seemed  as  though  Fate  were  bent  on  blotting  out 
from  our  memory  all  that  might  remind  us  of  our  ancestors, 
their  virtues,  their  patriotism,  and  their  perseverance  in  the 
days  of  universal  adversity  ;  and  as  though,  in  consequence  of 
this,  the  spirit  of  the  Hapsburgs  had  almost  become  extinct, 


6  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

and  we  were  to  lose  all  that  they  had  gained  in  the  days  of 
their  greatness.*  But  now  Fate  is  willing  to  give  us  another 
opportunity  to  repair  our  faults  and  show  that  we  are  worthy 
of  our  ancestors.  If  we  allow  this  to  pass  too,  all  is  lost,  not 
only  the  throne  of  the  Hapsbargs,  but  also  their  honor  !  " 

"This  opportunity  will  not  pass!"  exclaimed  the  count. 
"  The  throne  of  the  Hapsburgs  will  be  preserved,  for  it  is  pro- 
tected by  the  Archdukes  John  and  Charles,  a  brave  army  that 
is  eager  for  a  war  with  France,  and  a  faithful,  intrepid  people, 
which  is  sincerely  devoted  to  its  imperial  dynasty,  which 
never  will  acknowledge  another  ruler,  and  which  never  will 
desert  its  Hapsburgs." 

"Yes,  the  people  will  not  desert  us,"  said  John,  "but  worse 
things  may  happen  ;  we  may  desert  ourselves.  Just  look 
around,  Nugent,  and  see  how  lame  we  have  suddenly  become 
again  ;  how  we  have  all  at  once  stopped  half  way,  unable  to 
decide  whether  it  might  not  be  better  for  us  to  lay  down  our 
arms  again  and  surrender  at  discretion  to  the  Emperor  of  the 
French." 

"  Fortunately,  it  is  too  late  now  to  take  such  a  resolution  ; 
for  Austria  has  already  gone  so  far  that  a  hesitating  policy  at 
this  juncture  will  no  longer  succeed  in  pacifying  the  Emperor 
of  the  French.  And  it  is  owing  to  the  efforts  of  your  imperial 
highness  that  it  is  so  ;  we  are  indebted  for  it  to  your  zeal,  your 
energy,  and  your  enthusiasm  for  the  good  cause,  which  is  now 
no  longer  the  cause  of  Austria,  but  that  of  Germany.  And 
this  cause  will  not  succumb  ;  God  will  not  allow  a  great  and 
noble  people  to  be  trampled  under  foot  by  a  foreign  tyrant, 
who  bids  defiance  to  the  most  sacred  treaties  and  the  law  of 
nations,  and  who  would  like  to  overthrow  all  thrones  to  con- 
vert the  foreign  kingdoms  and  empires  into  provinces  of  his 
empire,  blot  out  the  history  of  the  nations  and  dynasties,  and 
have  all  engulfed  by  his  universal  monarchy." 

"  God  may  not  decree  this,  but  He  may  perhaps  allow  it  if 
the  will  of  the  nations  and  the  princes  should  not  be  strong 
enough  to  set  bounds  to  such  mischief.  When  the  feeling  of 
liberty  and  independence  does  not  incite  the  nations  to  rise 

*  John's  own  words. — See  "  Forty-eight  Letters  from  Archduke  John  to 
Johannes  von  Milller,"  p.  103. 


THE  YEAR   1809.  7 

enthusiastically  and  defend  their  rights,  God  sends  them  a 
tyrant  as  a  scourge  to  chastise  them.  And  such,  I  am  afraid, 
is  our  case.  Germany  has  lost  faith  in  herself,  in  her  honor  ; 
she  lies  exhausted  at  the  feet  of  the  tyrant,  and  is  ready  to  be 
trampled  in  the  dust  by  him.  Just  look  around  in  our  Ger- 
man fatherland.  What  do  you  see  there  ?  All  the  sovereign 
princes  have  renounced  their  independence,  and  become  Na- 
poleon's vassals  ;  they  obey  his  will,  they  submit  to  his  orders, 
and  send  their  armies  not  against  the  enemy  of  Germany,  but 
against  the  enemies  of  France,  no  matter  whether  those  ene- 
mies are  their  German  brethren  or  not.  The  German  princes 
have  formed  the  Confederation  of  the  Rhine,  and  the  object  of 
this  confederation  is  not  to  preserve  the  frontier  of  the  Rhine 
to  Germany,  but  to  secure  the  Rhine  to  France.  The  German 
princes  are  begging  for  honors  and  territories  at  the  court  of 
Napoleon  ;  they  do  not  shrink  from  manifesting  their  fealty 
to  their  master,  the  Emperor  of  the  French,  by  betraying  the 
interests  of  Germany  ;  they  are  playing  here  at  Vienna  the 
part  of  the  meanest  spies  ;  they  are  watching  all  our  steps,  and 
are  shameless  enough  to  have  the  Emperor  Napoleon  reward 
their  infamy  by  conferring  royal  titles  on  them,  and  to  accept 
at  his  hands  German  territories  which  he  took  from  German 
princes.  Bavaria  did  not  disdain  to  aggrandize  her  territories 
at  our  expense  ;  Wurtemberg  accepts  without  blushing  the 
territories  of  other  German  princes  at  the  hands  of  Napoleon, 
who  thus  rewards  her  for  the  incessant  warnings  by  which  the 
King  of  Wurtemberg  urges  the  Emperor  of  the  French  to  be 
on  his  guard  against  Austria,  and  always  distrust  the  inten- 
tions of  the  Emperor  Francis  *  In  the  middle  of  the  German 
empire  we  see  a  new  French  kingdom,  Westphalia,  established 
by  Napoleon's  orders  ;  it  is  formed  of  the  spoils  taken  from 
Prussia  and  Hanover  ;  and  the  German  princes  suffer  it,  and 
the  German  people  bow  their  heads,  silently  to  the  disgraceful 
foreign  yoke  !  Ah,  Nugent,  my  heart  is  full  of  grief  and 
anger,  full  of  the  bitterness  of  despair  ;  for  I  have  lost  faith 
in  Germany,  and  see  shudderingly  that  she  will  decay  and  die, 
as  Poland  died,  of  her  own  weakness.  Ah,  it  would  be 
dreadful,  dreadful,  if  we  too,  had  to  fall,  as  the  unfortunate 
*  Schlosscr,  "  History  of  the  Eighteenth  Century,"  vol.  vii.,  p.  488. 


g  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

Kosciusko  did,  with  the  despairing  cry  of  'Finis  Germa- 
nice ! ' " 

"  No,  that  will  never  happen  !  "  cried  Nugent.  "  No,  Ger< 
many  will  never  endure  the  disgrace  and  debasement  of  Pa- 
land  ;  she  will  never  sink  to  ruin  and  perish  like  Poland.  It 
is  true,  a  majority  of  the  German  princes  bow  to  Napoleon's 
power,  and  we  may  charge  them  with  infidelity  and  treason 
against  Germany  ;  but  we  can  not  prefer  the  same  charge 
against  the  German  people  and  the  subjects  of  the  traitorous 
German  princes.  They  have  remained  faithful,  and  have  not 
yet  lost  faith  in  their  fatherland.  They  are  indignantly 
champing  the  bit  with  which  their  despots  have  shut  their 
mouth  ;  and.  in  silence,  harmony,  and  confidence  in  God,  they 
are  preparing  for  the  great  hour  when  they  will  rise,  for  the 
sacred  day  when  they  will  break  their  shackles  with  the  divine 
strength  of  a  united  and  high-minded  people.  Everywhere 
the  embers  are  smouldering  under  the  ashes ;  everywhere  secret 
societies  and  leagues  have  been  formed  ;  everywhere  there  are 
conspirators,  depots  of  arms,  and  passwords  ;  everywhere  the 
people  of  Germany  are  waiting  only  for  the  moment  when 
they  are  to  strike  the  first  blow,  and  for  the  signal  to  rise.  And 
they  are  in  hopes  now  that  Austria  will  give  the  signal.  Our 
preparations  for  war  have  been  hailed  with  exultation  through- 
out Germany :  everywhere  the  people  are  ready  to  take  up  arms 
so  soon  as  Austria  draws  the  sword.  The  example  of  Spain  and 
Portugal  has  taught  the  Germans  how  the  arrogant  conqueror 
must  be  met;  the  example  of  Austria  will  fill  them  with  bound- 
less enthusiasm,  and  lead  them  to  the  most  glorious  victories  !  " 

"And  we  are  still  temporizing  and  hesitating,"  exclaimed 
John,  mournfully  ;  "  we  are  not  courageous  enough  to  strike 
the  first  blow  !  All  is  ready  ;  the  emperor  has  only  to  utter 
the  decisive  word,  but  he  refuses  to  do  so  ! " 

"  The  enthusiasm  of  his  people  will  soon  compel  him  and 
his  advisers  to  utter  that  word,"  said  Nugent.  "Austria  can 
no  longer  retrace  her  steps  ;  she  must  advance.  Austria  must 
lead  Germany  in  the  sacred  struggle  for  liberty  ;  she  can  no 
longer  retrace  her  steps." 

"  God  grant  that  your  words  may  be  verified  ! "  cried  John, 
lifting  his  tearful  eyes  to  heaven  ;  "  God  grant  that — " 


THE   YEAR   1809.  9 

A  low  rapping  at  the  door  leading  to  the  small  secret  corri- 
dor caused  the  archduke  to  pause  and  turn  his  eyes  with  a 
searching  expression  to  this  door. 

The  rapping  was  repeated,  more  rapidly  than  before. 

"  It  is  Hormayr,"  exclaimed  the  archduke,  joyfully  ;  and 
he  hastened  to  the  secret  door  and  opened  it  quickly. 

A  tall  young  man,  in  the  uniform  of  an  Austrian  superior 
officer,  appeared  in  the  open  door.  The  archduke  grasped 
both  his  hands  and  drew  him  hastily  into  the  cabinet. 

"Hormayr,  my  friend,"  he  said,  breathlessly,  "you  have 
returned  from  the  Tyrol  ?  You  have  succeeded  in  fulfilling 
the  mission  with  which  I  intrusted  you  ?  You  have  carried 
my  greetings  to  the  Tyrolese  ?  Oh,  speak,  speak,  my  friend  ! 
What  do  my  poor,  deserted  Tyrolese  say  ? " 

Baron  von  Hormayr  fixed  his  flashing  dark  eyes  with  an 
expression  of  joyful  tenderness  on  the  excited  face  of  the 
archduke. 

"The  Tyrolese  send  greeting  to  the  Archduke  John,"  he 
said  ;  "  the  Tyrolese  hope  that  the  Archduke  John  will  de- 
liver them  from  the  hateful  yoke  of  the  Bavarians  ;  the  Tyro- 
lese believe  that  the  hour  has  arrived,  when  they  may  recover 
their  liberty  ;  and  to  prove  this — " 

"  To  prove  this  ? "  asked  the  archduke,  breathlessly,  when 
Hormayr  paused  a  moment. 

"  To  prove  this,"  said  Hormayr,  in  a  lower  voice,  stepping 
up  closer  to  the  prince,  "some  of  the  most  influential  and 
respectable  citizens  of  the  Tyrol  have  accompanied  me  to 
Vienna  ;  they  desire  to  assure  your  imperial  highness  of  their 
loyal  devotedness,  and  receive  instructions  from  you." 

"  Is  Andreas  Hofer,  the  landwirth,  among  them  ? "  asked 
the  archduke,  eagerly. 

"  He  is,  and  so  are  Wallner  and  Speckhacher.  I  bring  to 
your  imperial  highness  the  leading  men  of  the  Tyrolese  peas- 
ants, and  would  like  to  know  when  I  may  introduce  them  to 
you,  and  at  what  hour  you  will  grant  a  private  audience  to 
my  Tyrolese  friends  ? " 

"  Oh,  I  will  see  them  at  once  ! "  exclaimed  John,  impa- 
tiently. "  My  heart  longs  to  gaze  into  the  faithful,  beautiful 
eyes  of  the  Tyrolese,  and  read  in  their  honest  faces  if  they 
2 


10  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

really  are  still  devoted  and  attached  to  me.  Bring  them  to 
me,  Hormayr  ;  make  haste — but  no,  I  forgot  that  it  is  broad 
daylight,  and  that  the  spies  watching  me  have  eyes  to  see, 
ears  to  hear,  and  tongues  to  report  to  the  emperor  as  dreadful 
crimes  all  that  they  have  seen  and  heard  here.  We  must 
wait,  therefore,  until  the  spies  have  closed  their  eyes,  until 
dark  and  reticent  night  has  descended  on  earth,  and — .  Well, 
Conrad,  what  is  it  ?  "  the  archduke  interrupted  himself,  look- 
ing at  his  valet  de  chambre,  who  had  just  entered  hastily  by 
the  door  of  the  anteroom. 

"Pardon  me.  your  imperial  highness,"  said  Conrad  ;  "a 
messenger  of  her  majesty  the  empress  is  in  the  anteroom. 
Her  majesty  has  ordered  him  to  deliver  his  message  only  to 
the  archduke  himself." 

"  Let  him  come  in,"  said  the  archduke. 

Conrad  opened  the  door,  and  the  imperial  messenger  ap- 
peared on  the  threshold. 

"  Her  majesty  the  Empress  Ludovica  sends  her  respects  to 
the  archduke,"  said  the  messenger,  approaching  the  archduke 
respectfully.  "Her  majesty  thanks  your  imperial  highness 
for  the  book  which  you  lent  her  ;  and  she  returns  it  with  sin- 
cere thanks." 

An  expression  of  astonishment  overspread  John's  face,  but 
it  soon  disappeared,  and  the  archduke  received  with  a  calm 
smile  the  small  sealed  package  which  the  messenger  handed 
to  him. 

"  All  right,"  he  said  ;  "  tell  her  majesty  to  accept  my 
thanks." 

The  messenger  returned  to  the  anteroom,  and  Conrad 
closed  the  door  behind  him. 

"  Place  yourself  before  the  door,  Nugent,  that  nobody  may 
be  able  to  look  through  the  key-hole,"  whispered  John,  "  for 
you  know  that  I  do  not  trust  Conrad.  And  you,  Hormayr, 
watch  the  secret  door." 

The  two  gentlemen  hastened  noiselessly  to  obey.  The 
archduke  cast  a  searching  glance  around  the  walls,  as  if  afraid 
that  even  the  silken  hangings  might  contain  somewhere  an 
opening  for  the  eyes  of  a  spy,  or  serve  as  a  cover  to  an  ear  oi 
Dionysius. 


THE   YEAR   1809.  H 

"  Something  of  importance  must  have  occurred,"  whispered 
John  ;  "  otherwise  the  empress  would  not  have  ventured  to 
send  me  a  direct  message.  I  did  not  lend  her  a  book,  and  you 
know  we  agreed  with  the  ladies  of  our  party  to  communicate 
direct  news  to  each  other  only  in  cases  of  pressing  necessity. 
Let  us  see  now  what  it  is." 

He  hastily  tore  open  the  sealed  package  and  drew  from  it 
a  small  prayer-book  bound  in  black  velvet.  While  he  was 
turning  over  the  leaves  with  a  smile,  a  small  piece  of  paper 
fluttered  from  between  the  gilt-edged  leaves  and  dropped  to 
the  floor. 

"  That  is  it,"  said  John,  smiling,  picking  up  the  paper,  and 
fixing  his  eyes  on  it.  "  There  is  nothing  on  it,"  he  then  ex- 
claimed, contemplating  both  sides  of  the  paper.  "There  is 
not  a  word  on  it.  It  is  only  a  book-mark,  that  is  all.  But, 
perhaps,  something  is  written  in  the  book,  or  there  may  be 
another  paper." 

"  No,  your  imperial  highness,"  whispered  Nugent,  stepping 
back  a  few  paces  from  the  door.  "The  Princess  Lichtenstein 
whispered  to  me  yesterday,  at  the  court  concert,  that  she  had 
obtained  an  excellent  way  of  sending  a  written  message  to 
her  friends  and  allies,  and  that,  if  we  received  a  piece  of  white 
paper  from  the  ladies  of  our  party,  we  had  better  preserve  it 
and  read  it  afterward  near  the  fireplace. " 

"  Ah,  sympathetic  ink,"  exclaimed  John ;  "  well,  we  will 
see." 

He  hastily  approached  the  fireplace,  where  a  bright  fire 
was  burning,  and  held  the  piece  of  paper  close  to  the  flames. 
Immediately  a  number  of  black  dots  and  lines  appeared  on 
the  paper  ;  these  dots  and  lines  assumed  gradually  the  shape 
of  finely-written  words. 

The  archduke  followed  with  rapt  attention  every  line, 
every  letter  that  appeared  on  the  white  paper,  and  now  he 
read  as  follows  : 

"The  French  ambassador  has  requested  the  emperor  to 
grant  him  an  audience  at  eleven  o'clock  this  morning.  A 
courier  from  Metternich  in  Paris  has  arrived,  and,  I  believe, 
brought  important  news.  The  decisive  hour  is  at  hand. 
Hasten  to  the  emperor  ;  leave  nothing  undone  to  prevail  on 


12  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

him  to  take  a  bold  stand.  Send  somebody  to  the  Archduke 
Charles  ;  request  him  to  repair  likewise  to  the  emperor  and 
influence  him  in  the  same  direction.  I  have  paved  the  way 
for  you.  I  hope  the  French  ambassador  will,  in  spite  of  him- 
self, be  our  ally,  and  by  his  defiant  and  arrogant  bearing,  at- 
tain for  us  the  object  which  we  have  hitherto  been  unable  to 
accomplish  by  our  persuasion  and  our  arguments.  Make 
haste  !  Bum  this  paper." 

The  archduke  signed  to  his  two  confidants  to  come  to  him, 
and  pointed  to  the  paper.  When  they  had  hastily  read  the 
lines,  he  threw  the  paper  into  the  flames,  and  turned  to  the 
two  gentlemen  who  stood  behind  him. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  it  ? "  he  inquired.  "  Shall  I 
do  what  these  mysterious  lines  ask  of  me  ?  Shall  I  go  to  the 
emperor  without  being  summoned  to  him  ? " 

"  The  empress  requests  you  to  do  so,  and  she  is  as  prudent 
as  she  is  energetic,"  said  Count  Nugent. 

"  I  say,  like  the  empress,  the  decisive  hour  is  at  hand,"  ex- 
claimed Baron  von  Hormayr.  "  Hasten  to  the  emperor  ;  try 
once  more  to  force  the  sword  into  his  hand,  and  to  wrest  at 
length  the  much-wished-for  words,  '  War  against  France  ! ' 
from  his  lips.  The  Tyrolese  are  only  waiting  for  these  words, 
to  rise  for  their  emperor  and  become  again  his  loving  and  de 
voted  subjects.  All  Austria,  nay,  all  Germany,  is  longing  for 
these  words,  which  will  be  the  signal  of  the  deliverance  of  the 
fatherland  from  the  French  yoke.  Oh,  my  lord  and  prince, 
hasten  to  the  emperor  ;  speak  to  him  with  the  impassioned 
eloquence  of  the  cherubim,  break  the  fatal  charm  that  holds 
Austria  and  the  Tyrol  enthralled  I " 

At  this  moment  the  large  clock  standing  on  the  mantel- 
piece commenced  striking. 

"Eleven  o'clock,'1  said  the  archduke — "the  hour  when  the 
emperor  is  to  give  an  audience  to  the  French  ambassador.  It 
is  high  time,  therefore.  Nugent,  hasten  to  my  brother ;  im- 
plore him  to  repair  forthwith  to  the  emperor,  and  to  act  this 
time  at  least  in  unison  with  me.  Tell  him  that  everything 
is  at  stake,  and  that  we  must  risk  all  to  win  all.  But  you, 
Hormayr,  go  to  my  dear  Tyrolese  ;  tell  them  that  I  will  re- 
ceive them  here  at  twelve  o'clock  to-night,  and  conduct  them 


THE   EMPEROR  FRANCIS.  13 

to  me  at  that  hour,  my  friend.  We  will  hold  a  council  of  war 
at  midnight." 

"And  your  imperial  highness  does  not  forget  that  you 
promised  to  go  to  the  concert  to-night?"  asked  Nugent. 
"  Your  highness  is  aware  that  our  friends  not  only  intend  to- 
night to  give  an  ovation  to  the  veteran  master  of  German  art, 
Joseph  Haydn,  but  wish  also  to  profit  by  the  German  music  to 
make  a  political  demonstration ;  and  they  long  for  the  pres- 
ence of  the  imperial  court,  that  the  emperor  and  his  brothers 
may  witness  the  patriotic  enthusiasm  of  Vienna." 

''  I  shall  certainly  be  present,"  said  the  archduke,  earnestly, 
"  and  I  hope  the  empress  will  succeed  in  prevailing  on  the 
emperor  to  go  to  the  concert. — Well,  then,  my  friends,  let  us 
go  to  work,  and  may  God  grant  success  to  our  efforts  ! " 


CHAPTER  H. 

THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS. 

THE  Emperor  Francis  had  to-day  entered  his  study  at  an 
earlier  hour  than  usual,  and  was  industriously  engaged  there 
in  finishing  a  miniature  cup  which  he  had  commenced  cutting 
from  a  peach-stone  yesterday.  On  the  table  before  him  lay 
the  drawing  of  the  model  after  which  he  was  shaping  the  cup  ; 
and  Francis  lifted  his  eyes  only  from  time  to  time  to  fix  them 
on  the  drawing,  and  compare  it  with  his  own  work.  These 
comparisons,  however,  apparently  did  not  lead  to  a  cheering 
result,  for  the  emperor  frowned  and  put  the  cup  rather  im- 
petuously close  to  the  drawing  on  the  table. 

'*  I  believe,  forsooth,  the  cup  is  not  straight,"  murmured  the 
emperor  to  himself,  contemplating  from  all  sides  the  diminu- 
tive object  which  had  cost  him  so  much  labor.  "Sure 
enough,  it  'is  not  straight,  it  has  a  hump  on  one  side.  Yes, 
yes,  nothing  is  straight,  nowadays  ;  and  even  God  in  heaven 
creates  His  things  no  longer  straight,  and  does  not  shrink 
from  letting  the  peach-stones  grow  crooked.  But  no  matter — 
what  God  does  is  well  done,"  added  the  emperor,  crossing 


14  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

himself  devoutly  ;  "  even  an  emperor  must  not  censure  it,  and 
must  not  grumble  when  his  cup  is  not  straight  because  God 
gave  the  peach-stone  a  hump.  Well,  perhaps,  I  may  change 
it  yet,  and  make  the  cup  straight.1' 

He  again  took  up  the  little  cup,  and  commenced  industri- 
ously working  at  it  with  his  sharp  files,  pointed  knives,  and 
gimlets.  It  was  hard  work  :  large  drops  of  sweat  stood  on  the 
emperor's  forehead  ;  his  arms  ached,  and  his  fingers  became 
sore  under  the  pressure  of  the  knives  and  files  ;  but  the  em- 
peror did  not  mind  it,  only  from  time  to  time  wiping  the  sweat 
from  his  brow,  and  then  continuing  his  labor  with  renewed  zeal. 

Close  to  the  small  table  containing  the  tools  stood  the  em- 
peror's large  writing-table.  Large  piles  of  documents  and 
papers  lay  on  this  table,  and  among  them  were  scattered  also 
many  letters  and  dispatches  with  broad  official  seals.  But  the 
emperor  had  not  yet  thought  of  opening  these  dispatches  or 
nnsealing  these  letters.  The  peach-stone  had  engrossed  his 
attention  this  morning,  and  he  had  unsealed  only  one  of  the 
papers  ;  the  emperor  had  read  only  the  report  of  the  secret 
police  on  the  events  of  the  previous  day.  These  reports  of  the 
secret  police  and  the  Chiffre-CoJbinet  were  the  favorite  reading 
matter  of  the  Emperor  Francis,  and  he  would  have  flown  into 
a  towering  passion  if  he  had  not  found  them  on  his  writing- 
table  early  every  morning. 

Thanks  to  these  reports,  the  emperor  knew  every  morning 
all  that  had  occurred  in  Vienna  during  the  previous  day  ; 
what  the  foreign  ambassadors  had  done,  and,  above  all  things, 
what  his  brothers,  the  Archdukes  Charles,  Ferdinand,  Joseph, 
and  John,  had  said,  done,  and  perhaps  only  thought.  To-day's 
report  had  not  communicated  ma_iy  important  things  to  the 
emperor  ;  it  had  only  informed  him  that,  at  daybreak,  a  courier 
from  Paris  had  arrived  at  the  house  of  the  French  ambassa- 
dor, Count  Andreossi,  and  that  there  were  good  reasons  to 
believe  that  he  had  brought  highly  important  news. 

It  was  exactly  for  the  purpose  of  dispelling  the  anxiety 
with  which  this  unpleasant  intelligence  had  filled  him,  that 
Francis  had  laid  aside  the  report  and  recommenced  his  work 
on  the  cup  ;  and  by  this  occupation  he  had  succeeded  in  for- 
getting the  burdensome  duties  of  his  imperial  office. 


THE   EMPEROR   FRANCIS.  15 

He  was  just  trying  very  hard  to  plane  one  side  of  his  cup, 
when  a  low  rap  at  the  small  door  leading  to  the  narrow  corri- 
dor, and  thence  to  the  apartments  of  the  empress,  interrupted 
him.  The  emperor  gave  a  start  and  looked  toward  the  door, 
listening  and  hoping,  perhaps,  that  his  ear  might  have  de- 
ceived him.  But  no,  the  rapping  was  heard  once  more  :  there 
could  no  longer  be  a  doubt  of  it— somebody  sought  admittance, 
and  intended  to  disturb  the  peaceful  solitude  of  the  emperor. 

"What  does  the  empress  want?"  murmured  Francis. 
"•  What  does  she  come  here  for  ?  I  am  afraid  something  un- 
pleasant has  happened  again." 

He  rose  with  a  shrug  from  his  chair,  put  his  miniature  cup 
hastily  into  the  drawer  of  his  table,  and  hurried  to  open  the 
door. 

Francis  had  not  been  mistaken.  It  really  was  the  Empress 
Ludovica,  the  third  consort  of  tLe  emperor,  who  had  married 
her  only  a  few  months  ago.  She  wore  a  handsome  dishabille 
of  embroidered  while  muslin,  closely  surrounding  her  delicate 
and  slender  form,  and  trimmed  with  beautiful  laces.  The 
white  dress  reached  up  to  the  neck,  where  a  rose-colored  tie 
fastened  it.  Her  beautiful  black  hair,  which  fell  down  in 
heavy  ringlets  on  both  sides  of  her  face,  was  adorned  with  a 
costly  lace  cap,  from  which  wide  ribbons  of  rose-colored  satin 
flowed  down  on  her  shoulders.  But  the  countenance  of  the 
empress  did  not  correspond  to  this  coquettish  and  youthful 
dress.  She  was  young  and  beautiful,  but  an  expression  of  pro- 
found melancholy  overspread  her  features.  Her  cheeks  were 
transparently  white,  and  a  sad,  touching  smile  quivered  round 
her  finely  chiselled,  narrow  lips  ;  her  high,  expansive  fore- 
head was  shaded,  as  it  were,  by  a  cloud  of  sadness  ;  and  her 
large  black  eyes  shot,  from  time  to  time,  gloomy  flashes  which 
seemed  to  issue  from  a  gulf  of  fiery  torture.  But  whatever 
passions  might  animate  her  delicate,  ethereal  form,  the  em- 
press had  learned  to  cover  her  heart  with  a  veil,  and  her  lips 
never  gave  utterance  to  the  sufferings  of  her  soul.  Only  her 
confidantes  were  allowed  to  divine  them  ;  they  alone  knew 
that  twofold  tortures  were  racking  Ludovica's  fiery  soul,  those 
of  hatred  and  wounded  pride.  Napoleon  !  it  was  he  whom 
the  empress  hated  with  indescribable  bitterness  ;  and  the  neg- 


16  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

lect  with  which  her  consort,  the  Emperor  Francis,  treated  her 
cut  her  proud  heart  to  the  quick.  Thanks  to  the  intrigues  and 
immense  riches  of  her  mother,  Beatrix  of  Este,  Duchess  of  Mo- 
dena,  she  had  become  the  wife  of  an  emperor,  and  herself  an 
empress ;  but  she  had  thereby  obtained  only  an  august  posi- 
tion, not  a  husband  and  partner.  She  was  an  empress  in  name 
only,  but  not  in. reality.  Francis  had  given  her  his  hand,  but 
not  his  heart  and  his  love.  He  disdained  his  beautiful,  lovely 
wife  ;  he  avoided  any  familiar  intercourse  with  her  with 
anxious  timidity  ;  only  in  the  presence  of  the  court  and  the 
public  did  he  treat  the  empress  as  his  consort,  and  tolerate  her 
near  his  person.  At  first  Ludovica  had  submitted  to  this 
strange  conduct  on  the  part  of  her  husband  with  proud  indif- 
ference, and  not  the  slightest  murmur,  not  the  mildest  re- 
proach, had  escaped  her  lips.  For  it  was  not  from  love  that 
she  had  chosen  this  husband,  but  from  ambition  and  pride. 
She  had  told  herself  that  it  would  be  better  for  her  to  be  Em- 
press of  Austria  than  Princess  of  Modena  and  Este  ;  and  even 
the  prospect  of  being  the  third  wife  of  Francis  of  Austria,  and 
the  stepmother  of  the  ten  children  whom  his  second  wife  had 
borne  to  him,  had  not  deterred  her.  She  meant  to  marry  the 
emperor,  and  not  the  man  ;  she  wished  to  play  a  prominent 
part,  and  exert  a  powerful  influence  on  the  destinies  of  the 
world.  But  these  hopes  were  soon  to  prove  utterly  futile. 
The  emperor  granted  her  publicly  all  the  privileges  of  her  ex- 
alted position  by  his  side  ;  but  in  the  privacy  of  her  apartments 
he  never  made  her  his  confidante  ;  he  refused  to  let  her  have 
any  influence  over  his  decisions  ;  he  never  consulted  her  as  to 
the  measures  of  his  administration  ;  nay,  he  avoided  alluding 
to  such  topics  in  her  presence. 

Such  was  the  grief  that  was  gnawing  at  the  heart  of  the 
young  empress — the  woiind  from  which  her  proud  and  lofty 
soul  was  bleeding.  But  for  a  few  weeks  past  she  had  over- 
come her  silent  grief,  and  the  presence  of  her  mother,  the 
shrewd  and  intriguing  Duchess  of  Modena,  seemed  to  have  im- 
parted fresh  strength  to  the  empress,  and  confirmed  her  in  her 
determination  to  conquer  the  heart  and  confidence  of  her  hus- 
band. [Whereas  she  had  hitherto  met  his  indifference  by 
proud  reticence,  and  feigned  not  to  notice  it,  she  was  now 


THE   EMPEROR   FRANCIS.  17 

kind  and  even  affectionate  toward  him ;  and  it  often  happened 
that,  availing  herself  of  the  privilege  of  her  position,  she  trav- 
ersed the  private  corridor  separating  her  rooms  from  those  of 
her  husband,  and.  without  being  summoned  to  him,  entered 
his  cabinet  to  talk  politics  with  him  in  spite  of  his  undisguised 
aversion  to  doing  so. 

The  emperor  hated  these  interviews  from  the  bottom  of  his 
heart ;  a  shudder  pervaded  his  soul,  and  a  cloud  covered  his 
brow,  whenever  he  heard  the  low  rap  of  the  empress  at  his 
private  door.  To-day,  too,  the  dark  cloud  covered  his  fore- 
head even  after  the  empress  had  entered  his  cabinet.  Ludo- 
vica  noticed  it,  and  a  mournful  smile  overspread  her  pale  face 
for  a  moment. 

"As  your  majesty  did  not  come  to  me  to  bid  me  good- 
morning,  I  have  come  to  you,"  she  said,  in  a  gentle,  kind 
voice,  holding  out  her  beautiful  white  hand  to  the  emperor. 

Francis  took  it  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips.  '•  It  is  true,"  he 
said,  evidently  embarrassed,  "  I  did  not  come  this  morning  to 
pay  my  respects  to  you,  but  time  was  wanting  to  me.  I  had 
to  go  at  once  to  my  cabinet  and  work;  I  am  very  busy." 

"I  see,"  said  Ludovica;  "your  majesty's  dress  still  bears 
the  traces  of  your  occupation." 

The  emperor  hastened  to  brush  away  with  his  hands  the 
small  particles  of  the  peach-stone  that  had  remained  on  his 
shirt-bosom  and  his  sleeve ;  but  while  he  was  doing  this  his 
brow  darkened  still  more,  and  he  cast  a  gloomy  and  defiant 
glance  on  the  empress. 

"  Look,  empress,"  he  said ;  "  perhaps  you  belong  to  the  secret 
police,  and  have  been  employed  to  watch  me  in  order  to  find 
out  what  I  am  doing  when  I  am  alone  in  my  cabinet.  Why, 
if  I  found  out  that  that  was  so,  I  should  be  obliged  to  be  on 
my  guard  and  have  this  door  walled  up,  so  that  my  esteemed 
consort  might  no  longer  be  able  to  surprise  and  watch  me." 

"Your  majesty  will  assuredly  not  do  that,"  said  Ludovica, 
whose  voice  was  tremulous,  and  whose  cheeks  had  turned 
even  paler  than  before.  "  No,  your  majesty  will  not  make  me 
undergo  the  humiliation  of  making  known  to  the  world  the 
deplorable  secret  with  which  we  alone  have  hitherto  been 
acquainted.  Your  majesty  will  not  deprive  me  of  the  only 


18  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

privilege  which  I  enjoy  in  common  with  your  former  con- 
sorts, and  thereby  proclaim  to  the  world  that  I  am  in  this 
palace  a  stranger  who  has  not  even  access  to  the  rooms  of  her 
husband." 

"  I  do  not  say  that  I  intend  to  do  it,"  said  Francis,  shrug- 
ging his  shoulders ;  "  I  say  only  that  it  is  highly  repugnant  to 
me  to  have  my  steps  dogged  and  watched  in  any  manner.  It 
is  true,  my  former  consort  had  also  the  keys  of  this  private 
corridor,  but — pardon  me  for  this  remark,  your  majesty — the 
empress  never  used  these  keys,  but  always  waited  for  me  to 
open  the  door." 

"And  she  did  not  wait  in  vain,"  said  the  empress,  quickly; 
"  your  majesty  never  failed  to  come,  for  you  loved  your  con- 
sort, and  I  have  been  told  you  never  suffered  even  a  few  hours 
to  pass  by  without  leaving  your  cabinet  and  crossing  the  secret 
corridor  to  repair  to  the  rooms  of  the  empress." 

"  But  the  good  Empress  Theresa,"  exclaimed  the  emperor, 
"when  I  was  with  her,  never  endeavored  to  talk  to  me  about 
politics  and  state  affairs." 

u  I  understand  that,"  said  Ludovica ;  "  you  had  both  so  many 
mutual  interests  to  converse  about.  You  had  your  mutual  love, 
your  children,  to  talk  about.  I,  who  am  so  unhappy  as  not  to 
be  able  to  talk  with  you  about  such  matters,  how  intensely  so- 
ever my  heart  longs  for  it,  must  content  myself  with  coversing 
with  my  husband  on  different  subjects;  and  I  desire  to  share 
at  least  his  cares  when  I  cannot  share  his  love.  My  husband, 
I  beseech  you,  do  not  disdain  my  friendship ;  accept  a  friend's 
hand,  which  I  offer  to  you  honestly  and  devotedly." 

"My  God,  that  is  precisely  what  I  long  for  !"  exclaimed 
the  emperor  fervently,  again  pressing  to  his  lips  the  hand 
which  the  empress  held  out  to  him.  "  My  fondest  wish  is  ful- 
filled when  your  majesty  will  give  me  your  friendship,  and 
confide  in  me  as  your  best,  most  devoted,  and  faithful  friend ! " 

"But  this  confidence  must  be  reciprocated,  my  dearest 
friend,"  said  Ludovica,  putting  her  hand  on  the  emperor's 
shoulder,  and  gazing  long  and  ardently  into  his  eyes.  "  Your 
majesty  must  confide  in  me  too,  and  count  implicitly  on  my 
fidelity." 

"  That  is  what  I  do,"  said  Francis,  hastily ;  "  never  should 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS.  19 

I  dare  to  doubt  the  fidelity  of  the  purest,  chastest,  and  most 
virtuous  empress  and  lady — the  fidelity  of  my  wife." 

"  I  did  not  refer  to  the  wife's  fidelity,"  said  Ludovica,  sigh- 
ing, "  but  to  the  fidelity  of  my  friendship,  which  is  joyously 
ready  to  share  all  your  cares  and  afflictions." 

"  Well,  then,"  said  the  emperor,  nodding  to  her  smilingly, 
"  I  will  give  you  a  proof  of  my  faith  in  your  friendship.  Yes, 
you  shall  share  my  cares  and  afflictions." 

"  Oh,  my  husband,  how  happy  you  make  me  by  these 
words  ! "  exclaimed  Ludovica,  and  a  faint  blush  beautified  her 
noble  face. 

"I  will  let  you  participate  in  my  work  to-day,  and  you 
shall  give  me  your  advice,"  said  the  emperor,  nodding  to  the 
empress,  and  stepping  to  the  writing-table,  from  whose  drawer 
he  took  the  little  cup.  "Look,  my  dear  friend,"  added  the 
emperor,  handing  the  cup  to  his  consort,  "  I  wished  to  make  a 
little  cup  from  this  peach-stone  and  give  it  to  Maria  Louisa, 
who  delights  in  such  things;  but  when  I  had  nearly  fin- 
ished it,  I  discovered  suddenly  that  the  peach-stone  was 
crooked  and  not  equally  round  on  both  sides.  Now  give 
me  your  advice,  my  fair  friend  ;  tell  me  what  I  am  to  do 
in  order  to  straighten  the  cup.  Look  at  it,  and  tell  me 
how  to  fix  it.  It  would  be  an  everlasting  disgrace  for  an 
emperor  to  be  unable  to  straighten  a  thing  which  he  himself 
made  crooked." 

The  empress  had  turned  pale  again  ;  her  dark  eyes  shot 
fire  for  a  moment,  and  she  compressed  her  lips  as  if  to  stifle 
a  cry  of  indignation.  But  she  overcame  her  agitation  quickly, 
and  hastily  took  the  little  cup  which  the  emperor  still  held 
out  to  her. 

"Your  majesty  is  right,"  she  said;  the  "cup  is  really 
crooked,  and  will  not  stand  erect  when  you  put  it  on  the  table. 
As  your  majesty  has  asked  me  what  ought  to  be  done  about  it, 
I  advise  you  to  get  rid  of  the  thing,  declare  war  against  the 
little  cup,  and  remove  it  forever  by  touching  it  in  this  manner 
with  your  little  finger." 

She  upset  the  miniature  cup  with  her  slender  little  finger, 
so  that  it  rolled  to  the  other  end  of  the  table. 

"  That  is  very  energetic  advice,  indeed,"  said  Francis,  smil- 


20  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

ing,  "  but  I  do  not  like  it.  To  upset  a  thing  that  is  not  well 
done  is  no  way  of  improving  it." 

"  Yes,  your  majesty,  to  destroy  what  is  not  well  done  is 
paving  the-  way  for  something  better,"  exclaimed  Ludovica. 
"  You  yourself  said  just  now  it  would  be  an  everlasting  dis- 
grace for  an  emperor  to  be  unable  to  straighten  anything 
which  he  himself  made  crooked.  It  seems  to  me,  now,  an 
emperor  should  extricate  himself  from  any  position  imposing 
on  him  the  necessity  of  doing  anything  crooked  and  unworthy 
of  his  imperial  dignity.  If  su,ch  is  his  duty  in  regard  to  a 
thing  so  insignificant  as  a  peach-stone,  how  much  more  ur- 
gent is  this  duty,  when  there  is  at  stake  something  so  great 
and  sacred  as  the  independence  and  honor  of  your  empire  and 
policy  ! " 

"  See,  see  ! "  said  the  emperor,  scratching  his  head  with 
an  expression  of  ludicrous  surprise  ;  "then  we  have  really 
got  back  from  the  peach-stone  to  political  affairs  and  the 
war-question.  Now,  this  war-question  is  a  hard  peach- 
stone  to  crack,  and  the  mere  thought  of  it  sets  my  teeth  on 
edge." 

"  Ah,"  said  Ludovica,  "  your  teeth  are  firm  and  strong,  for 
they  are  composed  of  three  hundred  thousand  swords,  and 
thousands  of  cannon  and  muskets.  If  the  lion  is  determined 
to  use  his  teeth,  he  will  easily  succeed  in  destroying  the  were- 
wolf ;  for  this  rapacious  and  bloodthirsty  were- wolf  is  brave 
and  invincible  only  when  he  has  to  deal  with  lambs  ;  only  the 
feeble  and  disarmed  have  reason  to  fear  him." 

"In  speaking  of  a  were-wolf,  I  suppose  you  refer  to  the 
Emperor  Napoleon  ?  "  asked  the  emperor,  smiling.  "  I  must 
tell  you,  however,  that,  in  your  warlike  enthusiasm,  you  do 
him  injustice.  It  seems  to  me  he  is  brave  not  alone  when  he 
has  to  deal  with  lambs,  and  not  alone  the  feeble  and  disarmed 
have  reason  to  fear  him.  I  think  I  did  not  march  lambs 
against  him  at  Austerlitz,  but  brave  men,  who  were  not  feeble 
and  disarmed,  but  strong  and  well-armed.  Nevertheless, 
Bonaparte  overpowered  them  ;  he  gained  the  battle  of  Auster- 
litz over  us,  and  we  had  to  submit  to  him,  and  accept  the  terms 
of  peace  wnich  he  imposed  on  us." 

"Yes,  your  majesty  had  to  submit  to  him,"  cried  the  em- 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS.  21 

press,  ardently  ;  "  you  were  obliged  to  repair  to  the  proud 
usurper's  camp  and  beseech  him  to  grant  you  peace  ! " 

"  I  was  not  obliged  to  go  to  him,  but  I  did  so  in  order  to 
restore  peace  to  my  people,  and  prevent  all  Austria  from 
sinking  into  ruin.  It  is  true,  it  was  a  dreadful  walk  for  me, 
and  when  I  saw  the  Emperor  of  the  French  at  his  camp-fire, 
he  became  utterly  distasteful  to  me.*  Nevertheless,  the  truth 
cannot  be  gainsaid,  and  the  truth  is  that  the  Emperor  Na- 
poleon is  more  than  a  were- wolf  killing  only  lambs ;  he  is  a  lion 
whose  furious  roar  causes  all  thrones  to  tremble,  and  who,  when 
he  shakes  his  mane,  shakes  all  Europe  to  its  foundations." 

"  The  more  is  it  incumbent  on  us  then  to  put  an  end  to 
this  unnatural  state  of  affairs,"  exclaimed  the  empress,  ve- 
hemently ;  "  to  strengthen  the  thrones,  and  restore  at  length 
tranquillity  to  Europe.  And  there  is  only  one  way  of  doing 
this,  my  lord  and  emperor,  and  that  is  war  !  We  must  de- 
stroy the  lion  in  order  to  restore  tranquillity  to  the  peaceable 
nations." 

"  But  what  if,  instead  of  destroying  the  lion,  we  should  be 
destroyed  by  him  ? "  asked  the  emperor,  with  a  shrug.  "  What 
if  the  lion  should  a  second  time  place  his  foot  on  our  neck, 
trample  us  in  the  dust,  and  dictate  to  us  again  a  disgraceful 
and  humiliating  peace  ?  Do  you  think  that  the  present  posi- 
tion of  the  King  of  Prussia  is  a  pleasant  and  honorable  one, 
and  that  I  am  anxious  to  incur  a  similar  fate  ?  No,  madame  !  I 
am  by  no  means  eager  to  wear  a  martyr's  crown  instead  of  my 
imperial  crown,  and  I  will  rather  strive  to  keep  my  crown  on 
my  head,  regardless  of  the  clamor  of  the  German  war-party. 
These  German  shriekers  are  nice  fellows.  They  refuse  to 
do  any  thing,  but  think  it  is  enough  for  them  to  cry,  '  War  ! 
war  1 '  and  that  that  will  be  sufficient  to  conquer  Bonaparte. 
But,  empress,  a  great  deal  more  is  required  for  that  purpose 
than  the  fanatical  war-clamor  of  the  aristocratic  saloons,  and 
the  scribblings  of  the  journalists  and  patriotic  poets  ;  in  order 
to  attain  so  grand  an  object,  it  is  indispensable  that  all  Ger- 
many should  rise,  take  up  arms,  and  attack  the  enemy  with 
united  forces." 

*  The  emperor's  own  words. — See  "Lebensbilder  aus  dem  Befreiunga- 
kriege,"  vol.  L 


22  ANDREAS   IIOFER. 

"  It  is  as  your  majesty  says/'  exclaimed  Ludovica,  enthusi- 
astically ;  "  all  Germany  is  ready  for  the  struggle  against  the 
enemy.  The  nation  is  only  waiting  for  Austria  to  give  the 
signal,  draw  the  sword,  and  advance  upon  France,  when  all 
Germany  will  follow  her." 

"  I  know  these  fine  phrases,"  said  Francis,  shrugging  his 
shoulders  ;  "  I  hear  them  every  day  from  my  brothers,  who 
are  eager  for  war,  and  who  manage  to  gain  a  great  deal  of 
popularity  in  so  comfortable  a  manner.  But  after  all,  they 
are  phrases  with  very  little  sense  in  them.  For  just  tell  me, 
empress,  where  is  the  Germany  which,  you  say,  is  only  wait- 
ing for  Austria  to  give  the  signal  ?  Where  are  the  German 
armies  which,  you  say,  are  only  waiting  for  Austria  to  ad- 
vance, when  they  will  follow  her  ?  I  have  good  sound  eyes, 
but  I  cannot  see  such  armies  anywhere.  I  am  quite  familiar 
with  the  geography  of  Germany,  I  know  all  the  states  that 
belong  to  it,  but  among  them  I  vainly  look  for  those  which 
are  waiting  for  us  to  give  such  a  signal.  Prussia  is  utterly 
powerless,  and  cannot  do  any  thing.  The  princes  of  the 
Ehenish  Confederacy,  it  is  true,  are  waiting  for  the  signal,  but 
Bonaparte  will  give  it  to  them,  and  when  they  march,  they 
will  march  against  Austria  and  strive  to  fight  us  bravely  in 
order  to  obtain  from  the  French  Emperor  praise,  honors,  titles, 
and  grants  of  additional  territories.  No,  no,  I  cannot  be  blind- 
ed by  brave  words  and  bombastic  phrases  ;  I  know  that  Austria, 
in  case  a  war  should  break  out,  would  stand  all  alone,  and 
that  she  must  either  conquer  or  be  ruined.  In  1805,  when,  in 
consequence  of  the  disastrous  battle  of  Austerlitz,  I  lost  half 
my  states,  I  was  not  alone,  Russia  was  my  ally.  But  Russia 
has  recently  declared  that,  in  case  a  war  should  break  out,  she 
would  not  assist  us  against  Napoleon,  but  observe  a  strict  neu- 
trality as  long  as  possible  ;  if  she  should,  however,  be  obliged 
to  take  a  decided  stand,  she  would  be  on  the  side  of  France 
and  against  us.  Consequently,  I  am  entirely  isolated,  and 
Napoleon  has  numerous  allies." 

"  But  your  majesty  has  a  powerful  ally  in  the  universal 
enthusiasm  of  the  Austrians  and  Germans,  in  the  universal 
indignation  of  the  nations  against  Napoleon.  You  have  pub- 
lic opinion  on  your  side,  and  that  is  the  most  powerful  ally." 


THE   EMPEROR   FRANCIS.  23 

"  Ah,  let  me  alone  with  that  abominable  ally,"  cried  the 
emperor,  vehemently  :  "I  do  not  want  to  hear  of  it  nor  to 
have  anything  to  do  with  it.  Public  opinion  is  the  hobby 
which  my  brother,  the  popular  Archduke  John,  is  riding  all 
the  time  ;  but  it  will  throw  him  one  day  into  the  mire,  and 
then  he  will  find  out  what  it  really  amounts  to.  Pray,  never 
speak  to  me  again  of  public  opinion,  for  I  detest  it.  It  smells 
of  revolution  and  insurrection,  and,  like  a  patient  donkey, 
suffers  itself  to  be  led  by  whosoever  offers  it  a  thistle  as  a 
bait.  I  renounce  once  for  all  the  alliance  of  public  opinion, 
and  I  do  not  care  whether  it  blesses  or  crucifies  me,  whether  it 
calls  me  emperor  or  blockhead.  You  see  now,  empress,  that  I 
am  entirely  isolated,  for  the  ally  which  you  offer  to  me  will 
do  me  no  good  ;  I  do  not  want  it,  and  I  have  no  other  allies. 
I  thought  it  necessary  to  arm,  in  view  of  the  formidable  arma- 
ments of  France,  and  show  our  adversary  that  I  am  not  afraid 
of  him,  but  am  prepared  for  every  thing.  I  therefore  put  my 
army  on  the  war  footing,  and  showed  Bonaparte  that  Austria 
is  able  to  cope  with  him,  and  that  money  and  well-disciplined 
armies  are  not  wanting  to  her.  But  just  now  I  shall  not  pro- 
ceed any  further,  and,  unless  something  important  should 
occur,  all  this  war-clamor  and  all  importunities  will  make  no 
impression  on  me.  The  important  event  to  which  I  alluded 
would  be  Napoleon's  defeat  in  Spain,  whereby  he  would  be 
compelled  to  keep  his  armies  there.  In  that  event,  I  should 
no  longer  be  isolated,  but  Spain  would  be  my  ally,  and  I 
should  probably  declare  war.  But  if  matters  should  turn  out 
otherwise,  if  fortune  should  favor  Napoleon  there  as  every- 
where else,  necessity  alone  will  determine  my  course.  I  shall 
not  attack,  and  thereby  challenge  fate  of  my  own  accord  ;  but 
I  shall  wait,  sword  in  hand,  for  Napoleon  to  attack  me.  If  he 
does,  God  and  my  good  right  will  be  on  my  side,  and  what- 
ever may  be  the  result  of  the  struggle,  people  will  be  unable  to 
say  that  I  rashly  plunged  into  war  and  broke  the  peace.  If  we 
succumb,  it  is  the  will  of  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin,  and  not, 
our  fault.  And  now,  empress,"  said  the  emperor,  drawing  a 
deep  breath,  "  I  have  complied  with  your  wishes  and  talked  poli- 
tics with  you.  I  think  it  will  be  enough  once  for  all,  and  you 
and  you  political  friends  will  perceive  that  you  cannot  do  any 


24:  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

thing  with  me,  and  that  it  will  be  best  for  you  to  let  me  en- 
tirely alone  ;  for  I  am  so  stubborn  as  not  to  allow  others  to 
lead  me,  but  pursue  my  own  course.  You  have  promised  me, 
empress,  to  be  a  faithful  friend  to  me.  I  ask  you  now  to  give 
me  a  proof  of  your  friendship.  Let  us  speak  of  something 
else  than  politics  ;  that  is  all  that  I  ask  of  your  friendship." 

"  Well,  then,  let  us  drop  the  subject,"  said  the  empress, 
with  a  deep  sigh.  "  Your  majesty  will  be  kind  enough  to 
permit  me  now  to  ask  a  favor  of  you  ? " 

"Ah,  you  speak  as  if  there  were  anything  that  I  could 
refuse  you,"  exclaimed  the  emperor,  smiling. 

Ludovica  bowed  slightly.  "  I  pray  you,  therefore,"  she 
said,  "to  be  kind  enough  to  accompany  me  to  the  concert 
which  is  to  be  given  at  the  university  hall.  Haydn's  k  Cre- 
ation' will  be  performed  there,  and  I  believe  the  old  maestro 
himself  will  be  present  to  receive  the  homage  of  his  ad- 
mirers." 

"  H'm,  h'm  !  I  am  afraid  there  is  something  else  behind 
it,"  said  the  emperor,  thoughtfully,  "  and  the  audience  will 
not  content  itself  with  merely  offering  homage  to  old  Haydn. 
But  no  matter,  your  majesty  wishes  to  go  to  the  concert,  and 
it  will  afford  me  pleasure  to  accompany  my  empress." 

At  this  moment  they  heard  a  low  rap  at  the  door  leading 
from  the  emperor's  cabinet  into  the  conference-room,  where 
the  officers  of  the  private  imperial  chancery  were  working. 

"Well,  what  is  it?"  exclaimed  the  emperor.  "Come 
in!" 

The  emperor's  private  chamberlain  slipped  softly  through 
the  half-opened  door,  and,  on  beholding  the  empress,  he  stood 
still  without  uttering  a  word. 

"Never  mind,  the  empress  will  excuse  you,"  said  Francis. 
"Just  tell  me  what  you  have  come  in  for." 

"  Your  majesty,"  said  the  chamberlain,  "  the  French  am- 
bassador, Count  Andreossi,  has  just  arrived;  and  requests  your 
majesty  to  grant  him  an  audience.  He  says  he  wishes  to 
communicate  information  of  great  importance  to  you." 

"  Why  did  he  not  apply  to  my  minister  of  foreign  affairs  ? " 
asked  the  emperor,  indignantly. 

"  Your  majesty,  the  ambassador  begs  your  pardon,  but  he 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS.  25 

says  the  Emperor  Napoleon  gave  him  express  orders  to  en- 
deavor if  possible  to  speak  with  your  majesty." 

"  And  he  is  already  in  the  anteroom,  and  waits  for  an  im- 
mediate audience  ? " 

"  Yes,  your  majesty." 

"  Well,  then,  I  will  receive  him,"  said  the  emperor,  rising. 
"  Conduct  the  ambassador  to  the  small  audience-room. — 
Well  ? "  asked  the  emperor,  wonderingly,  when  the  chamber- 
lain did  not  withdraw.  "  You  do  not  go  ?  Do  you  wish  to 
tell  me  any  thing  else  ? " 

"I  do,  your  majesty.  A  courier  has  just  arrived  from 
Paris  with  pressing  dispatches  from  Count  Metternich  to  your 
majesty." 

"Ah,  that  changes  the  matter  !"  exclaimed  the  emperor. 
"  Tell  the  ambassador  that  I  can  not  receive  him  now,  but 
that  he  is  to  come  back  in  an  hour,  at  eleven  precisely,  when 
I  shall  be  ready  to  receive  him.  Tell  the  courier  to  come  to 
me  at  once." 

The  chamberlain  slipped  noiselessly  out  of  the  door,  and 
the  emperor  turned  again  to  the  empress 

"  Empress,"  he  said,  "  do  me  the  honor  of  permitting  me  to 
offer  you  my  arm,  and  conduct  you  back  to  your  rooms. 
You  see  I  am  a  poor,  tormented  man,  who  is  so  overwhelmed 
with  business  that  he  cannot  even  chat  an  hour  with  his 
wife  without  being  disturbed.  Pity  me  a  little,  and  prove  it 
to  me  by  permitting  me  henceforth  to  rest  in  your  presence 
from  the  cares  of  business,  and  not  talk  politics." 

"  The  wish  of  my  lord  and  emperor  shall  be  fulfilled,"  said 
the  empress,  mournfully,  taking  the  arm  which  the  emperor 
offered  to  her  to  conduct  her  back  to  her  rooms. 

Just  as  she  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  imperial  cabinet, 
and  stepped  into  the  corridor,  she  heard  the  voice  of  the 
chamberlain,  who  announced :  u  The  courier  from  Paris, 
Counsellor  von  Hudelist." 

"  All  right,  I  shall  be  back  directly  ! "  exclaimed  the  em- 
poror,  and  he  conducted  the  empress  with  a  somewhat  accel- 
erated step  through  the  corridor.  In  front  of  the  door  at 
its  end  he  stood  still  and  bowed  to  the  empress  with  a  pleas- 
ant smile. 

3 


26  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"  I  have  conducted  you  now  to  the  frontier  of  your  realm,'5 
said  Francis ;  "  permit  me,  therefore,  to  return  to  mine. 
Farewell  !  We  shall  go  to  the  concert  to-night.  Fare- 
well ! " 

Without  waiting  for  the  reply  of  the  empress,  he  turned 
and  hastily  re-entered  his  cabinet. 

Ludovica  entered  her  room  and  locked  the  door  behind 
her.  "Closed  forever!"  she  said,  with  a  sigh.  "At  least  I 
shall  not  try  again  to  avail  myself  of  this  door,  and  shall  not 
expose  myself  again  to  the  sneers  of  the  emperor.  I  must, 
then,  bear  this  disgrace  ;  I  must  submit  to  being  disdained  and 

repudiated  by  my  husband  ;  I But  hush  ! "  the  empress 

interrupted  herself,  "  this  is  no  time  for  bewailing  my  per- 
sonal fate,  for  the  fate  of  all  Austria  is  at  stake  at  this  junc- 
ture Highly  important  events  must  have  occurred  at  Paris, 
else  Metteruich  would  not  have  sent  his  confidant  and  assist- 
ant Hudelist,  nor  would  Andreossi  demand  an  audience  in  so 
impetuous  a  manner.  Perhaps  this  intelligence  may  at  length 
lead  to  a  decision  to-day,  or  we  may  at  least  contribute  to  such 
a  result.  I  will  write  to  the  Archduke  John,  and  ask  him  to 
see  the  emperor.  Perhaps  he  will  succeed  better  than  I  did 
in  persuading  my  husband  to  take  a  determined  stand." 

She  hastened  to  her  writing-desk,  and  penned  that  mys- 
terious little  note  which  she  sent  to  the  Archduke  John  in  the 
book  which  she  pretended  he  had  lent  to  her. 


CHAPTER  in. 

THE  COURIER  AND  THE  AMBASSADOR. 

THE  emperor,  in  returning  to  his  cabinet,  like  the  empress, 
carefully  locked  the  door  behind  him  He  then  turned 
hastily  to  the  courier,  who  was  standing  near  the  opposite 
door,  and  was  just  bowing  most  ceremoniously  to  his  maj- 
esty. 

"Hudelist,  it  is  really  you,  then?''  asked  the  emperor. 
"  You  left  your  post  by  the  side  of  Metternich  without  obtain- 


THE   COURIER  AND   THE   AMBASSADOR.  27 

ing  my  permission  to  come  to  Vienna  ?  Could  you  not  find 
any  other  man  to  bring  your  dispatches  ?  I  had  commis- 
sioned you  to  remain  always  hy  the  side  of  Metternich,  watch 
him  carefully,  and  inform  me  of  what  he  was  doing  and 
thinking." 

"  Your  majesty,  I  have  brought  my  report  with  me,"  said 
Hudelist ;  "  and  as  for  your  majesty's  order  that  I  should 
always  remain  by  the  side  of  Count  Metternich,  I  have  hard- 
ly violated  it  by  coming  to  Vienna,  for  I  believe  the  Count 
will  follow  me  in  the  course  of  a  few  days.  Unless  your  maj- 
esty recalls  him  to  Vienna,  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  I  think, 
will  expel  him  from  Paris." 

"  You  do  not  say  so  ! "  exclaimed  Francis,  shrugging  his 
shoulders.  "  You  think  he  will  issue  a  manifesto  against 
Metternich,  as  he  did  against  the  Prussian  minister  Von 
Stein  ?  Well,  let  me  hear  the  news.  What  have  you  to  tell 
me?" 

u  So  many  important  things,  your  majesty,  that  the  count 
and  myself  deemed  it  expedient  to  report  to  your  majesty 
verbally,  rather  than  send  a  dispatch  which  might  give 
you  only  an  unsatisfactory  idea  of  what  has  occurred. 
Hence  I  came  post-haste  to  Vienna,  and  arrived  here  only  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  since  ;  I  pray  your  majesty  therefore  to 
pardon  me  for  appearing  before  you  in  my  travelling- 
dress." 

"Sit  down,  you  must  be  tired,"  said  the  emperor,  good-na- 
turedly, seating  himself  in  an  arm-chair,  and  pointing  to  the 
opposite  chair.  "  Now  tell  me  all ! " 

"Your  majesty,"  said  Hudelist,  mysteriously,  while  a 
strange  expression  of  mischievous  joy  overspread  his  ugly, 
pale  face,  "  the  Emperor  Napoleon  has  returned  from  Spain  to 
France." 

The  Emperor  Francis  gave  a  start  and  frowned .  "  Why  ? " 
he  asked. 

"  Because  he  intends  to  declare  war  against  Austria,"  said 
Hudelist,  whose  face  brightened  more  and  more.  "  Because 
Napoleon  is  distrustful  of  us,  and  convinced  that  Austria  is 
intent  on  attacking  him.  Besides,  he  felt  no  longer  at  ease  in 
Spain,  and  all  sorts  of  conspiracies  had  been  entered  into  in 


28  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

Paris,  whereby  his  return  might  have  been  rendered  impossi 
ble  if  he  had  hesitated  any  longer." 

"  Who  were  the  conspirators  ? " 

"Talleyrand  and  Fouche,  the  dear  friends  and  obedient 
servants  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon.  He  knows  full  well  what 
their  friendship  and  devotedness  amount  to.  Hence  he  had 
the  two  gentlemen  well  watched,  and  it  seems  his  spies  sent 
him  cowect  reports,  for,  after  returning  from  Spain,  he  re- 
buked them  unmercifully  ;  he  told  them,  with  the  rage  of 
a  true  Corsican,  and  regardless  of  etiquette,  what  miserable 
fellows  they  were,  and  how  high  he  stood  above  them." 

"  And  yet  he  would  like  so  much  to  be  an  emperor  in  strict 
accordance  with  court  etiquette,"  said  the  emperor,  laughing. 
"  He  is  anxious  to  have  such  a  court  about  him  as  Louis  XIV. 
had.  But  the  lawyer's  son  always  reappears  in  the  emperor, 
and,  if  it  please  God,  He  will  one  day  deprive  him  of  all  his 
power  and  splendor." 

"And,  if  it  please  God,  your  majesty  will  be  His  in- 
strument in  putting  an  end  to  Napoleon's  power  and  splen- 
dor," cried  Hudelist,  with  a  smile  which  distorted  his  face 
strangely,  and  caused  two  rows  of  large  yellow  teeth  to  appear 
between  the  pale  lips  of  his  enormous  mouth.  "It  is  true 
he  stands  firm  as  yet,  and  rebukes  his  ministers  as  Nero  did 
his  freedmen.  Talleyrand  was  still  thunderstruck  at  what  the 
emperor  had  told  him,  when  he  had  an  interview  with  Count 
Metternich  and  myself  in  Fouche's  green-house.  To  be  sure, 
the  phrases  which  he  repeated  to  us  were  well  calculated  to 
make  even  the  blood  of  a  patient  minister  boil.  Napoleon 
sent  for  the  two  ministers  immediately  after  his  arrival  ;  when 
they  came  to  him,  he  let  them  stand  at  the  door  of  his  cabinet 
like  humble  suppliants,  and,  running  up  and  down  before 
them,  and  casting  fiery  glances  of  anger  upon  them,  he  up^ 
braided  them  with  their  conduct,  and  told  them  he  was  aware 
.of  all  their  intrigues,  and  knew  that  they  were  conspiring 
with  Austria,  Spain,  and,  through  Spain,  with  England.  Then 
he  suddenly  stood  still  in  front  of  them,  his  hands  folded  on 
his  back,  and  his  glances  would  have  crushed  the  two  minis- 
ters if  they  had  not  had  such  a  thick  skin  '  You  are  impudent 
enough  to  conspire  against  me  ! '  he  shouted,  in  a  thundering 


THE   COURIER   AND   THE   AMBASSADOR.  29 

voice.  '  To  whom  are  you  indebted  for  every  thing — for  your 
honors,  rank,  and  wealth  ?  To  me  alone  !  How  can  you  pre- 
serve them  ?  By  me  alone  !  Look  backward,  examine  your 
past.  If  the  Bourbons  had  reascended  the  throne,  both  of  you 
would  have  been  hanged  as  regicides  and  traitors.  And  you 
plot  against  me  ?  You  must  be  as  stupid  as  you  are  ungrate- 
ful, if  you  believe  that  anybody  else  could  promote  your  in- 
terest as  well  as  I  have  done.  Had  another  revolution 
broken  out,  on  whatever  side  you  might  have  placed  your- 
selves, you  would  certainly  have  been  the  first  to  be  crushed 
by  it.'"* 

"  That  is  very  plain  talk,  indeed,"  said  Francis,  laughing. 
14  But  Talleyrand  and  Fouche  bave  sound  stomachs  ;  they  will 
digest  it,  and  not  get  congestions  in  consequence  of  it  pro- 
vided the  emperor  does  not  punish  them  in  a  different  man- 
ner." 

"  For  the  time  being,  he  only  punished  Talleyrand,  whom 
he  deprived  of  the  position  and  salary  of  lord  chamberlain. 
Fouche  remained  police  minister,  but  both  are  closely  watched 
by  Napoleon's  secret  police.  Nevertheless,  they  succeeded  in 
holding  a  few  unobserved  interviews  with  us.  Count  Metter- 
nich  learned  also  from  another  very  -well-informed  quarter, 
many  accurate  details  regarding  the  plans  and  intentions  of 
the  Emperor  Napoleon." 

''  What  do  you  mean  ?  What  well-informed  quarter  do 
you  refer  to  ? "  asked  the  emperor. 

"Your  majesty,"  said  Hudelist,  with  a  significant  grin, 
"  Count  Metternich  is  a  very  fine-looking  man  ;  now,  Queen 
Caroline  of  Naples,  Murat's  wife,  and  Napoleon's  favorite  sis- 
ter, is  by  no  means  insensible  to  manly  beauty,  and  she  ac- 
cepted with  evident  satisfaction  the  homage  which  the  count 
offered  to  her.  For  the  rest,  Napoleon  winked  at  and  encour- 
aged this  flirtation  ;  for,  previous  to  his  departure  for  Spain, 
he  said  to  his  sister  loud  enough  to  be  overheard  by  some  of 
our  friends, '  Amusez-nous  ce  niais,  Monsieur  de  Metternich. 
Nous  en  avons  besoin  &  present ! '"  f  Madame  Caroline 

*  Napoleon's  own  words.— See  Schlosser,  "  History  of  the  Eighteenth  Cen- 
tury," vol.  viii.,  p.  488. 

t  Hormayr,  "  The  Emperor  Francis  and  Metternich,  a  Fragment,  p.  56. 


30  ANDREAS  HOFEB. 

Murat  told  Count  Metternich,  for  instance,  that  it  is  the  Kings 
of  Bavaria  and  Wiirtemburg  that  keep  their  spies  for  Napo- 
leon here  in  Vienna,  and  that  they  urged  Napoleon  vehemently 
to  return  from  Spain  in  order  to  declare  war  against  Austria. 
And  Napoleon  is  determined  to  comply  with  their  wishes. 
He  travelled  with  extraordinary  expedition  from  Madrid  to 
Paris,  stopping  only  at  Valladolid,  where  he  shut  himself  up 
for  two  days  with  Maret,  his  minister  of  foreign  affairs,  and 
dispatched  eighty-four  messages  in  different  directions,  with 
orders  to  concentrate  his  forces  in  Germany,  and  call  out  the 
full  contingents  of  the  Rhenish  Confederacy.  His  own  troops 
and  these  German  Contingents  are  to  form  an  army  to  which 
he  intends  to  give  the  name  of  '  the  German  Army  of  the  Em- 
peror Napoleon.'  Although  Count  Metternich  was  aware  of 
all  this,  he  hastened  to  attend  the  great  reception  which  took 
place  at  the  Tuileries  after  Napoleon's  return,  in  order  to  as- 
sure him  again  of  the  friendly  dispositions  of  the  imperial 
court  of  Austria.  But  Napoleon  gave  him  no  time  for  that. 
He  came  to  meet  him  with  a  furious  gesture,  and  shouted  to 
him  in  a  thundering  voice  :  '  Well,  M.  de  Metternich  !  here  is 
fine  news  from  Vienna.  What  does  all  this  mean  ?  Have 
they  "been  stung  by  scorpions  ?  Who  threatens  you  ?  What 
would  you  be  at  ?  Do  you  intend  again  to  disturb  the  peace  of 
the  world  and  plunge  Europe  into  numberless  calamities  ?  As 
long  as  I  had  my  army  in  Germany,  you  conceived  no  disquie- 
tude for  your  existence  ;  but  the  moment  it  is  transferred  to 
Spain,  you  consider  yourselves  endangered  !  What  can  be  the 
end, of  these  things  ?  What,  but  that  I  must  arm  as  you  arm, 
for  at  length  I  am  seriously  menaced  ;  I  am  rightly  punished 
for  my  former  caution."  * 

"  What  an  impudent  fellow  ! "  murmured  the  Emperor 
Francis  to  himself.  "  And  Metternich  ?  What  did  he  re- 
ply?" 

"Nothing  at  all,  your  majesty.  He  withdrew,  returned 
immediately  to  the  legation,  and  I  set  out  that  very  night  to 
convey  this  intelligence  to  your  majesty.  Your  majesty,  we 
can  no  longer  doubt  that  Napoleon  has  made  up  his  mind  to 
wage  war  against  Austria.  His  exasperation  has  risen  to  the 

*  Napoleon's  own  words. — See  Schlosser,  vol.  vii.,  p.  490. 


THE   COURIER   AXD   THE   AMBASSADOR.  31 

highest  pitch,  and  the  events  in  Spain  have  still  more  in- 
flamed his  rage  and  vindictiveness." 

"  Then  he  is  unsuccessful  in  Spain  ? "  asked  the  emperor, 
whose  eyes  brightened. 

"  Spain  is  still  bidding  him  defiance,  and  fighting  with  the 
enthusiasm  of  an  heroic  people  who  will  suffer  death  rather 
than  be  subjugated  by  a  tyrant.  She  will  never  accept  King 
Joseph,  whom  Napoleon  forced  upon  her  ;  and  as  they  see 
themselves  deserted  and  given  up  by  their  royal  family,  the 
Spanish  patriots  turn  their  eyes  toward  Austria,  and  are  ready 
to  proclaim  one  of  your  majesty's  brothers  king  of  Spain,  if 
your  majesty  would  send  him  to  them  with  an  auxiliary 
army." 

" That  would  be  a  nice  thing! "  cried  the  emperor,  angrily. 
"  Not  another  word  about  it !  If  my  brothers  should  hear  it, 
their  heads  would  be  immediately  on  fire,  for  they  are  veryam- 
bitious;  hence,  it  is  much  better  that  they  should  not  learn 
anything  of  these  chdteaux  en  Espagne.  Tell  me  rather  how 
it  looks  in  France.  Are  the  French  still  satisfied  with  their 
emperor  by  the  grace  of  the  people  I " 

*'  They  are  not,  your  majesty.  Let  me  tell  you  that  not  only 
Napoleon's  own  officers,  his  marshals  and  ministers,  are  dissat- 
isfied with  him;  but  the  whole  people,  those  who  possess 
money  as  well  as  those  who  own  no  other  property  than  their 
lives,  are  murmuring  against  the  emperor.  He  robs  the  mon- 
eyed men  of  their  property  by  heavy  taxes  and  duties,  and 
those  who  have  nothing  but  their  lives  he  threatens  with  death 
by  forcing  muskets  into  their  hands,  and  compelling  them  to  do 
military  service.  Another  conscription  has  been  ordered,  and 
as  the  population  of  France  is  decreasing,  youths  from  sixteen 
to  eighteen  years  old  have  to  be  enrolled.  France  is  tired  of 
these  everlasting  wars,  and  she  curses  Napoleon's  insatiable 
bloodthirstiness  no  longer  in  secret  only,  but  loud  enough  to 
be  heard  by  the  emperor  from  time  to  time." 

"  And  the  army  ? " 

"  The  army  is  a  part  01  France,  and  feels  like  the  rest  of  the 
French  people.  The  marshals  are  quarrelling  among  them- 
selves, and  some  of  them  hate  Napoleon,  who  never  gives  them 
time  to  repose  on  their  laurels  and  enjoy  the  riches  which  they 


32  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

have  obtained  during  their  campaigns.  The  army  is  a  perfect 
hotbed  of  conspiracies  and  secret  societies,  some  of  which  are  in 
favor  of  the  restoration  of  the  republic,  while  others  advocate 
the  restoration  of  the  Bourbons.  Napoleon,  who  is  served 
well  enough  at  least  by  his  spies,  is  aware  of  all  these  things. 
He  is  afraid  of  the  discontent  and  disobedience  of  his  marshals 
and  generals,  conspiracies  in  the  army,  the  treachery  of  his 
ministers,  and  the  murmurs  of  his  people ;  and  he  fears,  be- 
sides, that  the  fanaticism  of  the  Spaniards  may  dim  his  mili- 
tary glory;  hence,  he  feels  the  necessity  of  arousing  the 
enthusiasm  of  his  people  by  fresh  battles,  of  silencing  the 
malcontents  by  new  victories,  and  of  reviving  the  heroic  spirit 
of  his  army.  He  hopes  to  gain  these  victories  in  a  war  be- 
tween his  German  army  and  the  Austrian  forces.  He  is,  there- 
fore, firmly  resolved  to  wage  war,  and  the  only  question  now 
is,  whether  your  majesty  will  anticipate  him,  or  await  a  decla- 
ration of  war  on  his  part.  This  is  about  all  I  have  to  com- 
municate to  your  majesty;  the  vouchers  and  other  papers  I 
shall  have  the  honor  to  deposit  at  the  imperial  chancery." 

The  emperor  made  no  reply,  but  gazed  into  vacancy,  deeply 
absorbed  in  his  reflections.  Hudelist  fixed  his  small  sparkling 
eyes  on  the  bent  form  of  the  emperor;  and  as  he  contemplated 
his  care-worn,  gloomy  face,  his  flabby  features,  his  protruding 
under-lip,  his  narrow  forehead,  and  his  whole  emaciated  and 
fragile  form,  an  expression  of  scorn  overspread  the  face  of 
the  counsellor;  and  his  large  mouth  and  flashing  eyes  seemed 
to  say,  "  You  are  the  emperor,  but  I  do  not  envy  you,  for  I  am 
more  than  you  are;  I  am  a  man  who  knows  what  he  wants." 

At  this  moment  the  clock  commenced  striking  slowly,  and 
its  shrill  notes  aroused  the  emperor  from  his  contemplation. 

"  Eleven  o'clock,"  he  said,  rising  from  his  chair,  "  the  hour 
when  I  am  to  give  an  audience  to  the  French  ambassador. 
Hudelist,  go  to  the  chancery  and  wait  there  until  I  call  you. 
You  will  not  return  to  Paris  anyhow,  but  resume  your  former 
position  in  the  chancery  of  state.  I  am  glad  that  you  have 
returned,  for  I  consider  you  a  faithful,  able,  and  reliable  man, 
with  whom  I  have  good  reason  to  be  content,  and  who,  I  hope, 
will  not  betray  my  confidence.  I  know,  Hudelist,  you  are 
ambitious,  and  would  like  to  obtain  a  distinguished  position. 


THE  COURIER  AND  THE  AMBASSADOR.  33 

Well,  serve  me — do  you  hear  ? — serve  none  but  me  honestly 
and  faithfully  ;  watch  everything  and  watch  closely  ;  never 
think  of  obtaining  the  friendship  and  good  graces  of  others, 
nor  seeking  for  any  other  protectors,  save  me ;  and  I  shall 
always  be  favorably  disposed  toward  you,  and  see  to  it  that 
the  cravings  of  your  ambition  are  satisfied.  Go  then,  as  I 
said  before,  to  the  chancery  of  state ;  and  on  hearing  me  re- 
enter  the  room,  step  in  again.  There  are  many  other  things 
which  I  wish  to  tell  you." 

"  I  see  through  him,"  said  Hudelist,  looking  with  a  smile 
after  the  emperor,  who  closed  the  door  of  the  cabinet  behind 
him,  to  repair  to  the  small  reception-room ;  "  yes,  I  see  through 
the  emperor.  He  is  glad  of  my  return,  for  I  am  a  good  spy 
for  him  in  regard  to  the  doings  of  his  brothers,  of  whom  he  is 
jealous,  and  whom  he  hates  with  all  his  heart.  If  I  succeed 
one  day  in  communicating  to  him  things  capable  of  rendering 
the  archdukes  suspicious  to  him,  or  even  convicting  them  of  a 
wrong  committed  against  him,  the  emperor  will  reward  and 
promote  me,  and,  as  he  says,  satisfy  the  cravings  of  my  ambi- 
tion. Well,  well,  we  shall  see.  If  you  watch  a  man  very 
closely  and  are  really  intent  on  spying  out  something  sus- 
picious in  his  conduct,  you  will  in  the  end  surely  find  some 
little  hook  or  other  by  which  you  may  hold  him,  and  which  you 
may  gradually  hammer  out  and  extend  until  it  becomes  large 
enough  to  hang  the  whole  man  on  it.  In  the  first  place,  I 
shall  pay  particular  attention  to  the  Archduke  John,  for  his 
brother  is  particularly  jealous  of  and  angry  with  him.  Ah,  if  I 
could  discovery  such  a  little  hook  by  which  to  hold  him,  the 
emperor  would  reward  my  zeal  with  money,  honors,  and 
orders,  and  he  would  henceforward  repose  the  most  implicit 
confidence  in  my  fidelity.  Well,  I  shall  think  of  it ;  the  idea 
is  a  good  one,  and  worthy  of  being  matured.  I  shall  form  a 
scheme  to  make  the  good  and  munificent  Archduke  John  the 
ladder  by  which  I  shall  rise.  I  must  conquer,  and  if  I  can  do 
it  only  by  pulling  down  others,  it  is  the  duty  of  self-preserva- 
tion for  me  not  to  shrink  from  the  task.  I  will  now  go  to  the 
chancery  and  wait  there  for  the  emperor's  return.  Ah,  how 
his  old  limbs  trembled  when  he  heard  of  Napoleon's  return. 
How  hard  and  unpleasant  it  was  for  him  to  swallow  the  bad 


34  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

news  which  I  communicated  to  him !  There  is  no  more  inter- 
esting spectacle  than  that  presented  by  a  human  face  passing 
through  all  the  various  stages  of  excitement,  and  involuntarily 
performing  in  its  features  the  five  acts  of  a  tragedy.  And  all 
the  better  when  this  human  face  is  that  of  an  emperor.  Dur- 
ing my  whole  journey  from  Paris  to  Vienna  I  was  enjoying, 
by  anticipation,  the  moment  when  I  should  deliver  this  Pan- 
dora's box  to  the  emperor.  He  is  opposed  to  war,  and  must 
nevertheless  wage  it ;  that  is  the  best  part  of  the  joke.  Aha ! 
it  is  a  fine  sight  to  behold  the  gods  of  this  earth  a  prey  to  such 
human  embarrassments !  I  felt  like  bursting  into  loud  laugh- 
ter at  the  woe-begone  appearance  of  the  emperor.  But  hush, 
hush!  I  will  go  to  the  chancery  until  he  returns." 

In  the  meantime  the  emperor  had  repaired  to  the  small 
reception-room,  where  Count  Andreossi,  the  French  ambassa- 
dor, was  already  waiting  for  him. 

Francis  responded  to  the  respectful  greeting  of  the  am- 
bassador by  a  scarcely  perceptible  nod,  and  strode,  with  head 
erect,  into  the  middle  of  the  room.  There  he  stood  still,  and 
casting  a  stern  and  almost  defiant  glance  on  the  ambassador, 
he  said  in  a  cold,  dignified  tone:  "You  requested  an  audience 
of  me  in  a  very  unusual  manner.  I  granted  it  to  prove  to 
you  my  desire  to  remain  at  peace  with  France.  Now  speak ; 
What  has  the  ambassador  of  the  Emperor  of  the  French  to 
say  to  the  Emperor  of  Austria  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  I  have  to  present  to  you,  in  the  first  place, 
the  respects  of  my  master,  who  has  returned  from  Spain  to 
Paris." 

Francis  nodded  his  head  slowly.     "  What  next  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Next,  my  sovereign  has  charged  me  with  a  very  difficult 
commission,  for  the  execution  of  which  I  must  first,  and  above 
all  things,  beg  your  majesty's  pardon." 

"  You  are  your  master's  servant,  and  it  is  your  duty  to  obey 
him,"  said  the  emperor,  dryly.  "Say,  therefore,  what  he 
ordered  you  to  tell  me." 

"Well,  then,  as  your  majesty  has  granted  me  permission, 
I  will  say  that  my  master,  the  Emperor  of  the  French,  has 
taken  deep  umbrage  at  the  hostile  course  which  Austria  has  of 
late  pursued  toward  him." 


THE   COURIER   AND   THE   AMBASSADOR.  35 

'*  And  what  is  it  that  your  emperor  complains  of  ? "  asked 
the  emperor,  -with  perfect  composure. 

"  In  the  first  place,  the  Emperor  Napoleon  has  taken  deep 
umbrage  at  Austria's  still  hesitating  to  recognize  King  Joseph 
as  King  of  Spain,  and  to  send  a  minister  plenipotentiary  to  his 
court." 

••  I  did  not  know  where  to  send  my  ambassador,  and  where 
he  would  find  M.  Joseph  Bonaparte,  King  of  Spain,  for  the 
time  being — whether  at  Madrid  or  at  Saragossa ;  in  the  camp, 
on  the  field  of  battle,  or  in  flight.  Hence  I  did  not  send  an 
ambassador  to  his  court.  So  soon  as  the  Spanish  nation  is 
able  to  inform  me  where  I  may  look  for  the  king  it  has  elected 
and  recognized,  I  shall  immediately  dispatch  a  minister  pleni- 
potentiary to  this  court.  State  that  to  your  monarch." 

"  Next,  his  majesty  the  Emperor  Napoleon  complains  bit- 
terly that  Austria,  instead  of  being  intent  on  maintaining 
friendly  relations  with  France,  has  left  nothing  undone  to 
reconcile  the  enemies  of  France  who  were  at  war  with  each 
other,  and  to  restore  peace  between  them ;  and  that  Austria, 
by  her  incessant  efforts,  has  really  succeeded  now  in  bringing 
about  a  treaty  of  peace  between  Turkey  and  England.  Now, 
my  master  the  emperor  must  look  upon  this  as  a  hostile  act 
on  the  part  of  Austria  against  France;  for  to  reconcile  Eng- 
land with  Turkey  is  equivalent  to  setting  France  at  variance 
with  Turkey,  or  at  least  neutralizing  entirely  her  influence 
over  the  Sublime  Porte." 

*'  Turkey  is  my  immediate  neighbor,  and  it  is  highly  impor- 
tant to  Austria  that  there  should  be  no  war-troubles  and  dis- 
turbances on  all  her  frontiers.  Every  independent  state  should 
be  at  liberty  to  pursue  its  own  policy;  and  while  this  policy 
does  not  assume  a  hostile  attitude  toward  other  independent 
states,  no  one  can  take  umbrage  at  it.  Are  you  through  with 
your  grievances  ? " 

"No,  your  majesty,"  said  Andreossi,  almost  mournfully. 
"  The  worst  and  most  unpleasant  part  remains  to  be  told ;  but, 
as  your  majesty  was  gracious  enough  to  say,  I  must  obey  the 
orders  of  my  master,  and  it  is  his  will  that  I  shall  now  com- 
municate to  your  majesty  the  emperor's  views  in  his  own 
words.  It  has  given  great  offence  to  the  Emperor  Napoleon 


36  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

that  Austria  should  place  herself  in  a  posture  of  open  hostility 
against  France,  when  France  has  given  her  so  many  proofs  of 
her  forbearance,  and  has  hitherto  always  spared  Austria,  not- 
withstanding the  numerous  acts  of  duplicity  and  evident  hos- 
tility of  the  Austrian  court.  The  Emperor  Napoleon  informs 
your  majesty  that  he  is  well  aware  of  the  ambitious  schemes 
of  Austria,  but  that  he  thinks  your  majesty  is  not  strong 
enough  to  carry  them  into  effect.  He  requests  your  majesty 
never  to  forget  the  magnanimity  which  the  Emperor  Napo- 
leon manifested  toward  you  after  the  battle  of  Austerlitz. 
The  Emperor  Napoleon  has  instructed  me  to  remind  you  of 
the  fact,  well  known  to  you,  that  you  can  confide  in  his  gen- 
erosity, and  that  he  is  firmly  resolved  to  observe  the  treaties. 
Naples,  Prussia,  and  Spain,  would  stand  erect,  yet,  if  their 
rulers  had  relied  on  their  own  sagacity,  and  not  listened  to 
the  fatal  advice  of  their  ministers,  or  even  of  courtiers,  women, 
and  ambitious  young  princes.  His  majesty  beseeches  the  Em- 
peror of  Austria  not  to  listen  to  such  insidious  advice,  nor  to 
yield  to  the  wishes  of  the  war-party,  which  is  intent  only  on 
gratifying  its  passionate  ambition,  and  whose  eyes  refuse  to 
see  that  it  is  driving  Austria  toward  the  brink  of  an  abyss 
where  she  must  perish,  as  did  Prussia,  Naples,  and  Spain."* 

"  It  is  very  kind  in  his  majesty  the  Emperor  Napoleon  to 
give  me  such  friendly  advice,"  said  the  Emperor  Francis, 
smiling.  "  But  I  beg  his  majesty  to  believe  that,  in  accord- 
ance with  his  wishes,  I  rely  only  on  my  own  individual  saga- 
city; that  I  am  influenced  by  no  party,  no  person,  but  am 
accustomed  to  direct  myself  the  affairs  of  my  country  and  the 
administration  of  my  empire,  and  not  to  listen  to  any  insinua- 
tions, from  whatever  quarter  they  may  come.  I  request  you 
to  repeat  these  words  to  his  majesty  the  Emperor  Napoleon, 
with  the  same  accuracy  with  which  you  communicated  his 
message  to  me.  And  now,  Count  Andreossi,  I  believe  you 
have  communicated  to  me  all  that  your  master  instructed  you 
to  say  to  me." 

"  Pardon  me,  your  majesty,  I  am  instructed  last  to  demand 
in  the  emperor's  name  an  explanation  as  to  the  meaning  of 
the  formidable  armaments  of  Austria,  the  organization  of  the 

*  Hormayr,  "  Allgemeine  Geschichte,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  205. 


THE  COURIER  AND   THE  AMBASSADOR.  37 

militia,  and  the  arming  of  the  fortresses  on  the  frontiers,  and 
to  inquire  against  whom  these  measures  are  directed.  The 
emperor  implores  your  majesty  to  put  a  stop  to  these  useless 
and  hurtful  demonstrations,  and  orders  me  expressly  to  state 
that,  if  Austria  does  not  stop  her  armaments  and  adopt  meas- 
ures of  an  opposite  character,  war  will  be  inevitable."  * 

"  In  that  case,  Mr.  Ambassador  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon, 
war  is  inevitable,"  cried  Francis,  who  now  dropped  the  mask 
of  cold  indifference,  and  allowed  his  face  to  betray  the  agita- 
tion and  rage  filling  his  bosom,  by  his  quivering  features, 
flashing  eyes,  and  clouded  brow.  "  I  have  calmly  listened  to 
you,"  he  added,  raising  his  voice;  "I  have  received  with  silent 
composure  all  the  arrogant  phrases  which  you  have  ventured 
to  utter  here  in  the  name  of  your  emperor.  I  look  on  them  as 
one  of  the  famous  proud  bulletins  for  which  your  emperor  is 
noted,  and  to  whose  overbearing  and  grandiloquent  language 
all  Europe  is  accustomed.  But  it  is  well  known  too  that  these 
bulletins  are  not  exactly  models  of  veracity,  but  sometimes  the 
very  reverse  of  it.  An  instance  of  the  latter  is  your  emperor's 
assertion  that  he  observes  the  treaties,  and  that  he  gave  me 
proofs  of  his  magnanimity  after  the  battle  of  Austerlitz.  No, 
the  emperor  did  no  such  thing;  he  made  me,  on  the  contrary, 
feel  the  full  weight  of  his  momentary  superiority.  He  was 
my  enemy,  and  treated  me  as  an  enemy,  without  magnanimity, 
which,  for  the  rest,  I  did  not  claim  at  the  time.  But  he  has 
proved  to  me,  too,  that  he  does  not  observe  the  most  sacred 
treaties.  He  violated  every  section  of  the  peace  of  Presburg ; 
he  did  not  respect  the  frontiers  as  stipulated  in  that  treaty ;  he 
forced  me,  in  direct  violation  of  the  treaties,  to  allow  him  the 
permanent  use  of  certain  military  roads  within  the  boundaries 
of  my  empire;  he  hurled  from  ttieir  thrones  dynasties  which 
were  related  to  me,  and  whose  existence  I  had  guaranteed ;  he 
deprived,  in  violation  of  the  law  of  nations,  the  beloved  and 
universally  respected  head  of  Christendom  of  his  throne,  and 
subjected  him  to  a  most  disgraceful  imprisonment;  he  exerted 
on  all  seas  the  most  arbitrary  pressure  on  the  Austrian  flag. 
And  now,  after  all  this  has  happened,  after  Austria  has  endured 

*  Napoleon's  own  words. — See  "  Lebensbilder,"  vol.  ii.,  and  Hormayr, "  All- 
gemeine  Geschichte,"  vol.  iiL 


38  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

all  these  wrongs  so  long  and  silently,  the  Emperor  Napoleon 
undertakes  even  to  meddle  with  the  internal  administration  of 
my  empire,  and  forbids  me  what  he,  ever  since  his  accession, 
has  incessantly  done,  to  wit :  to  mobilize  my  army,  levy  con- 
scripts for  the  troops  of  the  line  and  the  reserves,  and  arm  the 
fortresses.  He  asks  me  to  put  a  stop  to  my  armaments ;  else, 
he  says,  war  will  be  inevitable.  Well,  Mr.  Ambassador,  I  do 
not  care  if  the  Emperor  Napoleon  looks  at  the  matter  in  that 
light,  and  I  shall  not  endeavor  to  prevent  him  from  so  doing, 
for  I  shall  not  stop,  but  continue  my  preparations.  I  called 
out  the  militia,  just  as  the  Emperor  of  the  French  constantly 
calls  new  levies  of  conscripts  into  immediate  activity ;  and  if 
war  should  be  inevitable  in  consequence  thereof,  I  shall  bear 
what  is  inevitable  with  firmness  and  composure." 

"  Your  majesty,  is  this  your  irrevocable  resolution  ? "  asked 
Andreossi.  "  Is  this  the  answer  that  I  am  to  send  to  my  mas- 
ter, the  Emperor  Napoleon  ? " 

"  I  think  it  will  be  better  for  you  to  convey  this  answer  in 
person  to  your  emperor,"  said  Francis,  calmly.  u  As  no  one 
has  witnessed  our  interview,  only  you  yourself  can  repeat  my 
words  with  perfect  accuracy ;  and  it  is  therefore  best  for  you 
to  set  out  this  very  day  for  Paris." 

"  That  is  to  say,  your  majesty  gives  me  my  passports,  and 
war  will  immediately  break  out  between  France  and  Aus- 
tria!" sighed  Andreossi.  "Your  majesty  should  graciously 
consider — " 

"  I  have  considered  every  thing,"  interrupted  Francis,  vehe- 
mently, "  and  I  request  you  not  to  speak  to  me  again  in  the 
style  of  your  French  bulletins.  I  will  hear  the  bulletins  of 
the  Emperor  Napoleon  on  the  field  of  battle  rather  than  in  my 
cabinet.  Set  out,  therefore,  for  Paris,  Mr.  Ambassador,  and 
repeat  to  the  emperor  what  I  have  said  to  you." 

"  I  will  comply  with  your  majesty's  orders,"  said  An- 
dreossi, with  a  sigh  ;  "  I  will  set  out,  but  I  shall  leave  the 
members  of  my  legation  here  as  yet,  for  I  do  not  yet  give  up 
the  hope  that  it  may  be  possible  for  the  two  courts  to  avoid  a 
declaration  of  war,  and  to  spare  such  a  calamity  to  two  coun- 
tries that  have  such  good  reasons  to  love  each  other." 

"Let  us  quietly  await  the  course  of  events,"  replied  the 


THE   EMPEROR  AND  HIS  BROTHERS.  39 

emperor.  "Farewell,  Count  Andreossi.  If  you  will  accept 
my  advice,  you  will  set  out  this  very  day;  for  so  soon  as  my 
dear  Viennese  learn  that  war  is  to  break  out  in  earnest,  they 
will  probably  give  vent  to  their  enthusiasm  in  the  most  tu- 
multuous and  rapturous  demonstrations,  and  I  suppose  it 
would  be  disagreeable  to  you  to  witness  them.  Farewell, 
sir!" 

He  waved  his  hand  toward  the  ambassador,  bent  his  head 
slowly  and  haughtily,  and  left  the  reception-room  without 
vouchsafing  another  glance  to  Count  Andreossi. 

44  Now  my  brothers  will  be  in  ecstasies,"  said  the  emperor 
to  himself,  slowly  walking  up  and  down,  his  hands  folded  on 
his  back,  in  the  sitting-room  adjoining  the  reception-room. 
"  They  will  be  angry,  though,  because  I  did  not  consult  them, 
and  decided  the  whole  affair  without  listening  to  their  wis- 
dom." 

"Your  majesty,"  said  a  footman,  who  entered  the  room 
at  this  moment,  "their  imperial  highnesses,  the  Archdukes 
Charles  and  John,  request  an  audience  of  your  majesty." 

41  They  are  welcome,"  said  the  emperor,  whose  features 
were  lit  up  by  a  faint  smile.  u  Show  my  brothers  in." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  EMPEROR  AND  HIS  BROTHERS. 

A  FEW  minutes  afterward  the  two  archdukes  entered  the 
room  of  the  emperor,  who  slowly  went  some  steps  to  meet 
them,  and  greeted  them  with  a  grave,  cold  glance. 

44  Why,  this  is  a  rare  spectacle,"  said  Francis,  sneeringly, 
"  to  see  my  brothers  side  by  side  in  such  beautiful  harmony. 
In  truth,  it  was  only  wanting  to  me  that  even  you  two  should 
be  of  the  same  opinion,  and  come  to  me  for  the  purpose  of 
inviting  me,  as  Schiller  says,  to  be  the  third  in  your  league." 

"  Your  majesty  would  always  be  the  first  in  this  league," 
said  the  Archduke  John,  in  his  clear,  ringing  voice  ;  4k  my 
brother  would  be  the  second,  and  I  only  the  third." 


40  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  See,  see,  my  brother  is  very  modest  and  humble  to-day," 
said  Francis,  smiling.  "  This  means  doubtless  that  you  have 
come  to  ask  a  favor  of  me,  and  that,  by  your  kindness  and 
devotedness,  you  wish  to  induce  me  to  comply  with  your  re- 
quest, as  a  dog  is  decoyed  with  cakes  and  sweets  by  the  thief 
who  intends  to  steal  something  from  the  dog's  master." 

"  Oh,  your  majesty,  we  do  not  intend  to  steal  any  thing 
from  our  master! "  exclaimed  John,  laughing.  "  But  there  is 
really  an  attack  to  be  made  on  our  master's  property ;  only  he 
who  intends  to  make  it  does  not  decoy  us  with  cakes  and 
sweets,  but  assails  us  with  the  sword  and  coarse  invectives." 

"  It  was  very  shrewd  in  you  to  mention  at  once  the  subject 
on  which  you  wished  to  speak  with  me,"  said  the  emperor, 
with  a  slight  sneer.  "  But  permit  me  first  to  say  a  word  to  my 
brother  Charles  there,  and  bid  welcome  to  his  imperial  high- 
ness, the  illustrious  captain,  the  generalissimo  of  our  army, 
the  hope  and  consolation  of  Austria. " 

"Your  majesty  wishes  to  mock  me,"  said  the  Archduke 
Charles,  in  a  mournful  voice. 

"  I  repeat  only  what  I  read  every  day  in  the  newspapers, 
and  what  the  dear  Viennese  are  singing  and  shouting  in  every 
street! "  exclaimed  the  emperor.  "Yes,  yes,  my  dear  brother, 
you  must  consent  to  be  the  hope  and  consolation  of  Austria, 
and  to  be  praised  as  the  august  and  invincible  hero  of  our  im- 
mediate future." 

So  saying,  the  emperor  gazed  with  a  long  and  searching 
look  at  his  brother's  form,  and  a  scornful  expression  over- 
spread his  features. 

Indeed,  the  epithets  which  the  emperor  had  applied  to  his 
brother  corresponded  but  little  to  the  appearance  of  the  Arch- 
duke Charles.  His  small,  bent  form,  with  its  weak,  shrivelled 
limbs,  was  not  the  form  of  a  hero  ;  his  pale,  wan  face,  with 
the  hollow  cheeks  ;  the  dim  eyes  deeply  imbedded  in  their 
sockets,  and  the  clouded  brow,  on  which  thin  tufts  of  hair 
hung  down,  was  hot  the  face  of  a  bold  captain,  confident  of 
achieving  brilliant  triumphs  by  his  heroic  deeds,  and  deserv- 
ing of  the  name  of  the  hope  and  consolation  of  Austria.  But 
the  Austrians  did  call  him  by  that  name,  and  the  glory  of  his 
military  achievements,  which  filled  not  only  Austria  but  the 


THE   EMPEROR   AND    HIS   BROTHERS.  41 

whole  of  Germany,  caused  them  really  to  build  their  hopes  on 
the  Archduke  Charles,  despite  his  very  feeble  health.  The 
Emperor  Francis  was  aware  of  this  ;  he  knew  that  the  Arch- 
dukes Charles  and  John  were  by  far  more  popular  than  he 
was  ;  hence  he  was  jealous  of  and  angry  with  them — nay,  he 
almost  hated  them. 

»"  You  look  very  pale  and  sick  to-day,  my  dear  Archduke 
Charles,"  said  the  emperor,  after  a  pause,  during  which  he 
had  contemplated  the  archduke  with  a  searching  expression. 

"I  am  very  feeble  and  unwell,  your  majesty,"  sighed 
Charles  ;  "  and  but  for  the  special  request  of  my  brother,  the 
Archduke  John,  I  should  not  have  dared  to  come  here  this 
morning.  However,  I  am  afraid  that  I  can  do  but  little  to 
comply  with  his  wishes,  and  that  my  brother  John  will  soon 
think  it  would  have  been  better  for  him  not  to  ask  me  to  ac- 
company him  to  your  majesty." 

"Ah,  then,  you  are  after  all  not  so  harmonious  as  I 
thought  when  I  saw  you  entering  here  together ! ''  exclaimed 
the  emperor,  laughing.  "  There  are  still  differences  of  opin- 
ion, then,  between  the  two  pillars  of  my  throne,  and  were  I 
to  lean  on  one,  the  other  would  totter  and  give  way.  Well, 
what  do  you  want  ?  What  brought  you  here  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  only  the  intense  desire  to  dedicate  our 
services  to  Austria  and  our  emperor!"  exclaimed  John,  en- 
thusiastically. "  We  wished  to  implore  your  majesty  to  utter 
at  length  the  word  that  will  deliver  Austria  and  all  Germany. 
Your  majesty,  this  hesitation  and  silence  rests  like  a  night- 
mare on  every  heart  and  every  bosom  ;  all  eyes  are  fixed 
hopefully  on  your  majesty.  Oh,  my  lord  and  emperor,  one 
word  from  your  lips,  and  this  nightmare  will  disappear  ;  all 
hearts  will  rejoice  in  blissful  ecstasy,  and  every  bosom  will 
expand  and  breathe  more  freely  when  your  majesty  shall 
utter  this  word  :  'War!  war!'  We  hold  the  sword  in  our 
hands  ;  let  the  will  of  my  august  emperor  give  us  the  right 
now  to  draw  the  sword  against  him  who,  for  years  past,  has 
swept  like  a  destructive  hurricane  through  all  Germany,  all 
Europe,  and  who  tramples  alike  on  princes  and  peoples,  on 
liberty  and  law.  Your  majesty,  in  the  name  of  your  people, 
in  the  name  of  all  German  patriots,  I  bend  my  knees  here  be- 


42  ANDREAS  HOFES. 

fore  my  lord  and  emperor,  and  thus,  kneeling  and  full  of  rev- 
erence, I  implore  your  majesty  to  let  the  hour  of  deliverance 
strike  at  length  ;  let  us,  with  joyful  courage,  expel  the  enemy 
who  has  already  so  long  been  threatening  our  frontiers  with 
defiant  arrogance  :  let  us  take  the  field  against  the  impudent 
usurper,  and  wrest  from  him  the  laurels  which  he  gained  at 
Austerlitz,  and  of  which  he  is  so  proud.  Your  majesty,  your 
people  are  filled  with  warlike  ardor  ;  your  faithful  Tyrolese 
are  waiting  only  for  a  signal  to  break  their  chains  and  rise 
for  their  beloved  emperor.  Your  Italian  provinces  are  long- 
ing for  the  day  when  war  shall  break  out,  in  order  to  avenge 
themselves  on  the  tyrant  who  promised  them  liberty  and 
brought  them  only  slavery.  The  hour  of  retribution  has 
come  for  Napoleon  ;  may  your  majesty  consult  our  best  inter- 
ests by  saying  that  we  are  to  profit  by  this  hour,  and  that  war, 
a  mortal  struggle,  is  to  begin  now  against  the  Emperor  of  the 
French!" 

And,  still  bending  his  knees  before  the  emperor,  John 
looked  up  to  him  with  longing,  beseeching  eyes. 

Francis  looked  down  on  him  with  a  gloomy  air,  and  the 
noble  and  enthusiastic  face  of  his  brother,  who  was  ten  years 
younger,  and  much  stronger  and  better-looking,  made  a  dis- 
agreeable impression  on  him. 

"  Rise,  brother,"  he  said,  coldly  ;  ''  your  knees  must  ache, 
and  I,  for  my  part,  do  not  like  such  theatrical  scenes  at  all, 
and  such  fine  phrases  make  but  little  impression  on  my  cold 
and  prosy  heart.  I  am  accustomed  to  follow  always  my  con- 
victions, and  when  I  advance  a  step,  I  must  be  sure  not  to  fall 
into  an  abyss  which  some  poetical  hero  may  perhaps  have 
merely  covered  for  me  with  his  flowery  phrases.  That  I  am 
aware  of  the  dangers  threatening  us  on  the  part  of  France  I 
have  proved  by  putting  the  army  on  the  war  footing,  by  in- 
trusting you,  Archduke  John,  with  organizing  the  militia  and 
the  reserves  in  accordance  with  the  plan  you  drew  up  for  that 
purpose  ;  and  by  placing  you,  Archduke  Charles,  at  the  head 
of  my  army  and  appointing  you  generalissimo." 

"  An  honor,  your  majesty,  which  I  accepted  with  reverent 
gratitude,  although  it  almost  crushes  me  at  the  present  time," 
said  the  Archduke  Charles,  with  a  sigh.  "  Permit  me  now. 


THE   EMPEROR   AND   HIS   BROTHERS.  43 

your  majesty,  to  open  my  heart  to  you,  and  lay  my  innermost 
thoughts  at  your  feet.  To  do  so,  I  accompanied  my  brother 
John  to  you.  He  said  he  would  implore  your  majesty  once 
more  to  postpone  the  declaration  of  war  no  longer,  but  utter 
at  length  the  decisive  word.  I  implored  him  not  to  do  so, 
and  not  to  force  us  to  engage  prematurely  in  a  war  that  could 
not  but  bring  the  greatest  calamities  on  Austria.  But  my  dear 
brother  would  not  listen  to  my  remonstrances  and  prayers  ; 
he  called  me  a  secret  friend  and  admirer  of  Napoleon  ;  he  de- 
manded that  I  should  at  least  speak  out  freely  and  openly  in 
your  majesty's  presence,  and  refute  him  if  I  could,  or  yield  to 
him  if  my  arguments  should  prove  untenable.  Your  majesty, 
I  have  therefore  complied  with  the  wishes  of  my  brother,  the 
Archduke  John  ;  I  have  come  to  you,  but  only  to  say  to  my 
lord  and  emperor  :  Your  majesty,  I  implore  you,  in  the  name 
of  your  people  and  your  throne,  do  not  yet  unsheath  the 
sword  !  Wait  until  our  army  is  ready  for  the  contest,  and 
until  our  armaments  are  completed.  Do  not  plunge  rash- 
ly into  war,  lest  victory  escape  us.  A  great  deal  remains 
to  be  done  yet  before  we  can  say  that  our  armaments  are 
completed  ;  and  only  after  being  fully  prepared  can  we  dare 
to  take  the  field  against  the  Emperor  Napoleon  and  his  hither- 
to victorious  legions." 

"Ah,  do  you  hear  our  Fabius  Cunctator,  brother  John, 
the  Lion-hearted  ! "  exclaimed  the  emperor,  sarcastically. 
"  Which  of  you  is  right,  and  whose  wise  advice  shall  I  follow 
now— I,  the  poor  emperor,  who  is  not  strong  and  sagacious 
enough  to  be  his  own  adviser  and  advance  a  step  without  his 
brothers  ?  John,  the  learned  soldier,  beseeches  me  to  declare 
war,  and  Charles,  the  intrepid  hero,  implores  me  not  to  do  so. 
What  am  I,  the  poor  emperor,  who  cannot  advise  himself,  and 
who  receives  too  much  advice  from  others,  to  do  under  such 
circumstances  ?  Whose  will  must  I  submit  to  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,"  cried  John,  in  dismay,  "  it  is  we  that  must 
submit ;  it  is  your  will  on  which  depends  the  decision.  I  im- 
plore your  majesty  to  declare  war,  because  I  deem  it  necessary  ; 
but,  if  your  majesty  should  take  a  different  resolution,  I  shall 
submit  silently  and  obediently." 

"And  I,"  said  Charles,  "requested  you  to  postpone  the 


44  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

declaration  of  war,  because  I  do  not  believe  that  we  are  suffi- 
ciently prepared  for  the  contest :  but,  like  my  brother,  I  shall 
submit  silently  if  your  majesty  should  take  a  different  resolu- 
tion." 

"  Indeed,  will  you  do  so,  archdukes  ?  "  asked  the  emperor, 
in  a  scornful  tone.  "  Will  you  be  mindful  of  your  duties  as 
subjects,  and,  instead  of  giving  me  unnecessary  advice,  obey 
me  silently  ? " 

The  two  archdukes  bowed  to  indicate  their  submissiveness. 
The  emperor  advanced  a  few  steps,  and  proudly  raising  his 
head,  he  looked  at  his  two  brothers  with  a  stern  and  imperious 
expression. 

"  Let  me  tell  you,  then,  archdukes,  what  I,  your  lord  and 
emperor,  have  resolved,''  said  Francis,  sternly.  "  I  have  re- 
solved to  declare  war  !  r 

Two  loud  cries  resounded  with  one  accord  ;  a  cry  of  joy 
burst  from  John's  lips,  a  cry  of  dismay  from  tbose  of  Charles. 
Pale,  reeling  like  a  drunken  man,  the  generalissimo  ap- 
proached the  emperor  and  held  out  his  hands  to  him  with  a 
beseeching  expression. 

''  Your  majesty,"  he  said,  "  you  have  resolved  to  declare 
war,  but  you  do  not  mean  to  say  that  it  is  to  commence  im- 
mediately ? " 

"  That  is  what  I  mean  to  say,"  replied  the  emperor,  sarcas- 
tically. 

The  Archduke  Charles  turned  still  paler  than  before  ;  a 
strange  tremor  passed  through  his  frame,  his  head  dropped  on 
his  bosom,  and  a  deep  groan  issued  from  his  breast. 

The  Archduke  John,  forgetful  of  his  quarrel  with  his 
brother  Charles,  at  the  sight  of  the  latter's  profound  grief, 
hastened  to  him,  and  tenderly  grasped  both  his  hands. 

"  Brother,"  he  asked,  anxiously,  "  what  is  the  matter  ?  Are 
you  unwell  ? " 

"  I  am,"  said  Charles,  wiping  from  his  forehead  the  large 
drops  of  sweat  standing  on  it.  "  I  am  unwell,  but  I  must  say 
a  few  additional  words  to  the  emperor.  I  must  disclose  to 
him  a  melancholy  secret  of  which  I  heard  only  an  hour  ago. 
— Your  majesty,  I  implore  you  once  more,  postpone  the  war 
as  long  as  possible  ;  for — hear  my  terrible  secret — we  have 


THE   EMPEROR  AND  HIS  BROTHERS.  45 

been  infamously  defrauded  by  Commissary-General  von  Fass- 
bender." 

"  Your  intimate  friend  ? "  interposed  the  emperor,  with  a 
scornful  laugh. 

"Yes,  my  intimate  friend,"  exclaimed  the  archduke,  in  a 
loud,  shrill  voice  ;  "  he  deceived  me  most  shamefully.  All 
the  army  contracts  had  been  intrusted  to  him,  and  he  assured 
me  he  had  filled  them  in  the  most  conscientious  manner. 
I  believed  him,  and  it  is  only  now  that  I  find  out  that  he  has 
shamefully  deceived  me  and  his  emperor.  All  his  bills  for 
the  supplies  which  he  pretended  to  have  furnished  are  in  my 
hands,  but  the  troops  did  not  get  the  supplies.  The  scoundrel 
sent  only  sour  flour,  bad  linen,  and  moth-eaten  uniform  cloth 
to  the  regiments,  and  yet  he  drew  enormous  sums  of  money 
for  the  full  amount  of  his  contracts." 

"We  shall  compel  the  thief  to  disgorge  his  ill-gotten 
gains,"  cried  the  emperor. 

"  No,  your  majesty,"  said  Charles,  with  a  groan  ;  and  lean- 
ing more  firmly  on  his  brother's  arm,  in  order  not  to  sink  to 
the  floor,  he  added  :  "  no,  your  majesty,  the  criminal  is  be- 
yond the  reach  of  your  power.  He  escaped  from  human 
justice  by  committing  suicide  an  hour  ago.  The  criminal 
has  fled  from  his  judges,  but  his  crimes  remain,  and  our  army 
suffers  in  consequence  of  them.  Now  your  majesty  knows 
all,  you  will  take  back  your  word,  and  say  no  longer  that  you 
will  declare  war.  You  will  be  gracious  enough  to  give  me 
time  to  repair  the  injury  resulting  from  the  crimes  of  the 
commissary-general,  and  to  provide  the  army  with  all  that 
is  unfortunately  wanting  to  it  as  yet." 

"No,"  cried  the  emperor  vehemently,  "  I  will  not  !  I  will 
not  take  back  my  word,  and  I  had  already  made  up  my  mind 
before  you,  my  brothers,  entered  here  to  assist  me  so  generous- 
ly by  your  wisdom.  War  will  be  declared  immediately  ;  my 
resolution  is  irrevocable.  I  have  already  informed  the  French 
ambassador  of  it,  and  ordered  him  to  leave  Vienna  this  very 
day.  Your  warnings  come  just  as  much  too  late  as  did  John's 
entreaties.  I  did  what  I  myself  deemed  best ;  and  I  deemed 
it  best  to  declare  war  against  Bonaparte,  in  reply  to  his  in- 
tolerable arrogance.  Every  thing  is  fixed  and  settled  ;  war 


46  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

will  commence  without  delay  :  and  you,  Archduke  Charles, 
are  the  generalissimo  of  my  army." 

The  Archduke  Charles  made  no  reply  ;  he  uttered  a  pain- 
ful groan  and  sank  to  the  floor  by  John's  side.  All  his  limbs 
trembled  and  quivered  ;  his  pale  face  became  distorted,  he 
clinched  his  fists,  and  his  eyes  were  glassy  as  though  he  were 
dying. 

"  He  has  one  of  his  fits,"  said  the  emperor  calmly,  looking 
down  on  his  brother.  "  Call  his  servants  and  his  doctor, 
Archduke  John,  that  they  may  remove  the  generalissimo  to 
another  room  and  administer  medicine  to  him.'' 

John  rushed  to  the  door,  and  soon  the  servants  and  the 
physician,  who  always  accompanied  the  Archduke  Charles, 
hastened  into  the  room.  They  lifted  with  practised  hands  the 
archduke,  who  was  still  writhing  in  convulsions,  and  carried 
him  tenderly  out  of  the  room. 

John,  who,  with  touching  solicitude,  had  remained  near 
the  sufferer,  would  have  accompanied  him  ;  but  a  word  from 
the  emperor  called  him  back. 

"  Stay  a  moment,  archduke,"  said  Francis  ;  "  the  Archduke 
Charles  only  has  his  fits,  and  his  servants  will  take  care  of 
him.  I  have  yet  to  speak  a  few  words  with  you.  This  will 
be  a  formidable  war,  brother,  and  we  must  see  to  it  that  it 
breaks  out  at  the  same  time  in  all  quarters  of  our  empire,  and 
that  the  people  rise  with  one  accord  and  take  up  arms.  We 
have  made  our  preparations  everywhere,  and  our  emissaries 
have  done  their  duty  ;  they  have  everywhere  enlisted  friends 
of  our  cause,  and  established  committees  which  have  made 
all  necessary  dispositions  for  the  defence  of  the  country.  You 
yourself  sent  your  emissary,  Baron  von  Hormayr,  to  your 
beloved  Tyrol  ;  if  I  am  correctly  informed,  he  has  already 
returned  to  Vienna." 

"Your  majesty,  he  arrived  here  this  morning,"  said  John, 
looking  at  his  brother  with  an  air  of  surprise  and  even  ter- 
ror. 

This  did  not  escape  the  emperor,  and  a  smile  of  satisfaction 
lit  up  his  face. 

"  You  see,  my  agents  serve  me  very  well,  and  I  am  aware 
of  all  that  is  going  on,"  said  Francis,  gravely.  "  I  know,  too. 


THE   EMPEROR  AND   HIS   BROTHERS.  47 

that  Baron  von  Hormayr  has  returned  to  Vienna  not  alone, 
but  accompanied  by  some  good  friends.  I  believe  you  did  not 
come  here  to  give  me  your  advice,  but  to  beg  permission  to  re- 
ceive your  Tyrolese  friends  at  your  palace  to-night." 

"  What  ! "  asked  John,  surprised  ;  "  your  majesty  is  aware 
of  this,  too?" 

"  I  have  told  you  already  that  my  agents  serve  me  very 
well.  Let  this  be  a  warning  to  you  not  to  do  or  undertake 
any  thing  that  you  would  like  to  conceal  from  me.  I  know 
that  Andreas  Hofer  is  here,  to  concert  with  you  some  sort  of 
plan  for  the  insurrection  of  the  Tyrol.  Under  the  present 
circumstances  I  permit  you  to  do  so,  for  it  is  really  important 
that  the  German  and  Italian  Tyrol  should  rise  ;  and  as  we  are 
going  to  have  war,  we  will  strive  to  recover  our  Tyrol.  But 
we  must  proceed  cautiously,  and  the  world  must  not  find  out 
that  we  instigated  the  Tyrolese  to  rise  in  arms.  That  would 
be  setting  a  bad  example  to  the  other  nations  of  our  empire. 
We  may  at  times  profit  by  popular  insurrections,  but  must  be- 
ware of  letting  the  world  know  that  we  ourselves  brought 
them  about.  Hence,  I  do  not  want  to  know  any  thing  of 
your  Tyrolese,  and  shall  not  grant  them  an  audience.  But  I 
permit  you  to  do  so,  and  you  may  tell  these  brave  Tyrolese, 
too,  that  I  should  be  glad  if  they  would  become  again  my  dear 
subjects." 

"  Your  majesty,"  exclaimed  John,  joyously,  "these  words 
of  their  emperor  will  be  the  signal  for  them  to  rise  as  one 
man,  take  their  rifles,  and  expel  the  Evil  One,  that  is  to  say, 
the  Bavarians." 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  the  Tyrolese  do  so,  and,  moreover,  do 
it  in  time,"  said  the  emperor,  nodding  his  head.  "  Repeat  my 
words  to  Andreas  Hofer,  brother  John,  and  pledge  him  my 
word  that,  if  we  recover  the  Tyrol  this  time,  we  shall  never 
give  it  up  again.  But  Andreas  Hofer  must  behave  with  great 
prudence,  and  not  show  himself  to  the  public  here,  but  keep 
in  the  background,  that  the  police  may  wink  at  his  presence 
in  Vienna,  and  act  as  though  they  did  not  see  him  and  his 
friends.  And  now,  brother,  farewell,  and  inquire  if  the  gen- 
eralissimo has  recovered  from  his  fit.  It  would  be  bad,  in- 
deed, if  these  fits  should  befall  him  once  in  the  midst  of  a  bat- 


48  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

tie.  Well,  let  us  hope  for  the  best  for  us  all,  and  especially 
for  the  Tyrol.  You  have  now  a  great  task  before  you,  John, 
for  you  will  receive  a  command  ;  you  shall  assist  the  Tyrolese 
in  shaking  off  the  foreign  yoke." 

"  Oh,  my  lord  and  emperor,"  exclaimed  John,  with  a  radi- 
ant face  and  fiery  glance,  "  how  kind  and  gracious  you  are 
to-day  !  It  is  the  heart  of  a  brother  that  speaks  out  of  your 
mouth — of  a  brother  who  wishes  to  make  me  happy,  and 
knows  how  to  do  so.  Yes,  send  me  with  a  corps  to  the  assist- 
ance of  the  Tyrolese  ;  let  me  bring  freedom  and  salvation  to 
my  beloved  mountaineers.  That  is  a  task  which  fills  me  with 
boundless  ecstasy,  and  for  which  I  shall  always  be  grateful 
and  devoted  to  you,  brother." 

uBe  devoted  to  your  emperor,  archduke,"  said  Francis, 
smiling  ;  "  the  brothers  will  get  along  well  enough  ;  they 
have  nothing  to  do  with  politics  and  public  affairs.  Fare- 
well, John.  But,  remember,  we  shall  meet  again  to-day,  for 
I  shall  summon  the  ministers  and  generals  to  a  consultation, 
and  you  will,  of  course,  be  present.  Once  more,  then,  fare- 
well !" 

He  nodded  repeatedly  to  the  archduke  and  left  the  room 
with  unusual  quickness.  The  emperor  walked  hastily  and 
with  a  gloomy  face  through  the  adjoining  room,  and  entered 
his  cabinet,  the  door  of  which  he  closed  rather  noisily. 

"  I  am  to  let  him  bring  freedom  and  salvation  to  his  be- 
loved mountaineers,"  murmured  Francis  to  himself — "  to  his 
mountaineers  !  I  believe  he  would  be  glad  if  they  really  were 
his,  and  if  he  could  become  King  of  the  Tyrol.  Well,  we 
shall  see.  I  have  lulled  his  suspicion  by  permitting  him  to 
hold  intercourse  with  the  Tyrolese,  and  concert  plans  with 
them.  We  shall  see  how  far  my  brother  will  go,  and  what  his 
gratitude  and  devotion  will  amount  to.  It  is  a  troublesome 
burden  for  me  to  have  such  dangerously  ambitious  and  re- 
nowned brothers,  against  whom  I  must  be  constantly  on  my 
guard.  I  would  I  could  pick  them  off  as  quickly  as  I  remove 
the  flies  from  this  wall." 

So  saying,  he  took  from  the  table  the  fly -flap  which  had  al- 
ways to  lie  on  it  in  readiness,  and  entered  upon  his  favorite 
amusement,  the  pursuit  of  the  flies  on  the  wall  and  furniture, 


THE   EMPEROR   AJ<D   HIS   BROTHERS.  49 

which  his  servants  took  good  care  not  to  drive  from  the  em- 
peror's cabinet,  because  Francis  would  never  have  pardoned 
them  for  spoiling  his  sport. 

Walking  along  the  walls  with  a  rapid  step,  the  emperor 
commenced  killing  the  flies. 

"  Ha  !  "  he  exclaimed,  striking  a  fly,  "  ha  !  brother  Charles, 
this  stroke  is  intended  for  you.  Really,  there  lies  the  fly 
writhing,  as  the  generalissimo  did,  on  the  floor.  But  he  has 
a  tougher  life  than  the  fly  ;  for  the  fly  will  writhe  until  it  is 
dead,  but  the  generalissimo  always  revives  ;  and  when  he  has 
no  fits,  he  is  a  very  brave  and  illustrious  man,  before  whom 
his  emperor  must  humbly  stand  aside.  I  cannot  take  the  fly- 
flap  and  strike  his  writhing  limbs  as  I  do  this  miserable  fly, 
the  little  Archduke  Charles,  that  is  writhing  on  the  floor 
there.  So,  now  you  are  dead,  confounded  little  brother 
Charles,  and  we  will  hunt  for  your  brother  John.  See,  see, 
there  he  sits  on  the  wall,  cleaning  his  wings  and  making  him- 
self tidy  and  pretty.  There  !  There  is  an  affectionate  blow 
from  your  imperial  brother,  and  you  are  done  for.  Now  you 
will  never  fly  to  your  mountaineers  and  bring  them  freedom 
and  salvation.  You  will,  on  the  contrary,  stick  to  the  wall  of 
your  emperor's  room,  and  learn  that  your  brother  is  your 
master.  Why,  this  is  most  amusing  sport  to  day  !  I  shall 
not  stop  before  killing  a  dozen  Archdukes  Charles  and 
John  I" 

And  Francis  hunted  eagerly  on  the  walls  and  the  furniture 
for  other  flies,  which  he  pursued  and  killed  with  his  fly-flap, 
always  applying  the  name  of  Charles  to  one,  and  that  of  John 
to  the  next. 

In  the  excitement  of  this  strange  sport  he  had  not  noticed 
that,  soon  after  he  entered  the  cabinet,  the  door  had  opened, 
and  Counsellor  von  Hudelist  had  come  in.  Francis  did  not 
remember  at  that  moment  that  he  had  given  express  orders  to 
Hudelist  to  re-enter  the  cabinet  as  soon  as  he  heard  the  em- 
peror return  to  it ;  he  had  fixed  his  thoughts  exclusively  on 
the  cruel  pleasure  of  killing  the  flies  Charles  and  John,  and 
Hudelist  took  good  care  not  to  disturb  him  in  this  pleasant 
pastime.  He  stood  leaning  against  the  wall  close  to  the  door  ; 
his  small,  flashing  eyes  followed  every  motion  of  the  emperor 


50  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

with  rapt  attention,  and  whenever  Francis,  on  killing  a  fly, 
pronounced  the  name  of  either  of  his  brothers  in  a  triumphant 
tone,  a  malicious  smile  overspread  the  pale  and  ugly  face  of 
the  counsellor. 

Now,  however,  Francis,  in  hunting  for  flies,  had  arrived 
at  the  extreme  end  of  the  room.  Until  then,  his  back  had 
been  turned  to  Hudelist.  If  he  should  turn  now  and  continue 
his  sport  on  the  other  side  of  the  room,  he  would  discover 
him,  and  be  disagreeably  surprised  at  his  presence.  There- 
fore, before  the  emperor  turned,  Hudelist  opened  once  more 
the  door  near  which  he  was  standing,  and  closed  it  rather 
noisily. 

The  emperor  turned  and  asked  gayly  :  "  Well,  what  is  it, 
Mr.  Counsellor?" 

"  Your  majesty  ordered  me  to  return  to  the  cabinet  as  soon 
as  you  should  be  back." 

"  But  I  returned  some  time  ago,"  said  Francis,  casting  a 
distrustful,  searching  glance  on  Hudelist. 

"  Pardon  me,  your  majesty,  I  believed  I  heard  you  only 
just  now  close  the  door,  and  had  until  then  vainly  waited  for 
some  sound  in  the  cabinet,"  replied  Hudelist,  with  a  perfectly 
innocent  expression  of  countenance.  "  The  second  door  sepa- 
rating the  conference-room  from  your  majesty's  cabinet  is  so 
heavily  lined  with  cushions  as  to  render  it  almost  impervious 
to  sound,  and  I  beg  your  pardon  again  for  not  having  heard 
despite  the  most  eager  attention." 

The  emperor's  face  had  again  entirely  cleared  up.  "Never 
mind,"  he  said ;  "  I  am  glad  that  those  in  the  adjoining  room 
cannot  hear  what  is  going  on  here.  I  like  to  have  ears  for  all, 
but  do  not  like  anybody  to  have  ears  for  me.  Now  let  me 
hear  what  you  have  brought  for  me  from  Paris." 

"  Above  all  things,  your  majesty,  I  succeeded  in  obtaining 
for  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  the  receipt  for  making  Span 
ish  sealing-wax,  from  a  Spanish  refugee,  who  was  formerly 
employed  at  the  royal  sealing-wax  factory  of  Madrid,  and  was 
perfectly  familiar  with  the  formula  for  making  it.  Your 
majesty  knows  that  this  receipt  is  a  secret,  and  that  the  officers 
and  workmen  employed  at  the  factory  must  even.  •  T/ear  an 
oath  not  to  divulge  it." 


THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  "THE   CREATION."  51 

u  And  you  obtained  the  receipt  nevertheless,  and  brought 
it  with  you  ? "  inquired  the  emperor. 

"  Here  it  is,  your  majesty." 

Francis  hastily  seized  the  paper  which  Hudelist  handed  to 
him  with  a  respectful  bow. 

"  See,  see,  this  is  a  very  kind  service  which  you  have  ren- 
dered me,  and  I  shall  be  grateful  for  it  !"  he  exclaimed. 
''You  shall  test  the  receipt  with  me  alone;  we  will  try  it 
right  away.  But  hold  on ;  I  must  first  tell  you  some  grave 
news.  We  shall  declare  war.  I  have  already  told  the  French 
ambassador  to  leave  Vienna  to-day,  and  Metternich  can  come 
home  too.  I  will  hold  a  council  of  the  ministers  and  generals 
to-day.  Tell  the  functionaries  at  the  chancery  to  inform  the 
ministers,  archdukes,  and  generals  that  I  wish  to  see  them  in 
the  conference-room  at  four.  Make  haste,  and  then  come  to 
my  laboratory.  We  will  try  the  Spanish  receipt. " 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  "THE  CREATION." 

A  BRILLIANT  festival  was  to  take  place  to-night  in  the  large 
aula  of  the  Vienna  University.  All  the  composers,  musicians, 
dilettanti,  and  amateurs  of  Vienna,  had  joyously  consented  to 
participate  in  it.  The  most  distinguished  names  of  the  aris- 
tocracy and  the  artistic  circles  of  Vienna  were  at  the  head  of 
the  committee  of  arrangements.  Among  those  names  were 
those  of  the  Princes  Lichnowsky  and  Lichtenstein,  the  Count- 
esses Kaunitz  and  Spielmann,  of  Beethoven  and  Salieri, 
Kreutzer  and  Clementi,  and  finally,  those  of  the  poets  Collin 
and  Carpani. 

Every  one  wished  to  participate  in  this  festival,  which  was 
to  render  homage  to  the  veteran  German  composer,  the  great 
Joseph  Haydn,  on  the  occasion  of  the  twenty-fifth  perform- 
ance of  the  maestro's  great  work,  "  The  Creation."  Ten  years 
had  elapsed  sine*;  the  first  performance  of  "  The  Creation  "  at 
Vienna,  and  al^ady  the  sublime  composition  had  made  the 


52  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

tour  of  Europe,  and  had  been  performed  amid  the  most  en- 
thusiastic applause  in  London  and  Paris,  in  Amsterdam  and 
St.  Petersburg,  in  Berlin,  and  all  the  large  and  small  cities  of 
Germany.  Everywhere  it  had  excited  transports  of  admira- 
tion ;  everywhere  delighted  audiences  had  greeted  with  raptur- 
ous enthusiasm  this  beautiful  music,  so  full  of  holy  ardor  and 
childlike  piety,  this  great  work  of  the  German  composer, 
Joseph  Haydn. 

To-day  the  twenty-fifth  performance  of  "The  Creation" 
was  to  take  place  at  Vienna,  and  Joseph  Haydn  himself  was 
to  be  present  at  the  concert.  The  committee  of  arrangements 
had  invited  him,  and  he  had  accepted  the  invitation.  Al- 
though his  seventy-seven  years  were  resting  heavily  on  his 
head,  and  had  paralyzed  his  strength,  he  could  not  withstand 
the  honorable  request  of  his  friends  and  admirers,  and  he  had 
replied  with  a  touching  smile  to  the  committee  of  arrange- 
ments, whose  delegates  had  conveyed  the  invitation  to  him  : 
"  I  shall  come  to  take  leave  of  the  world  with  my  '  Creation,' 
and  bid  a  last  farewell  to  my  dear  Viennese.  You  will  often 
yet  sing  my  '  Creation,'  but  /  shall  hear  it  for  the  last  time  ! " 

"  For  the  last  time  ! "  These  were  the  words  which  had 
thrilled  all  the  friends  and  admirers  of  the  maestro,  and  filled 
them  with  the  ardent  desire  to  greet  him  once  more,  and  ren- 
der him  homage  for  the  last  time.  For  all  felt  and  knew  that 
Haydn  had  spoken  the  truth,  and  that  his  end  was  drawing 
near.  All,  therefore,  longed  to  take  part  in  this  last  tri- 
umph of  the  composer  of  "  The  Creation,"  whom  death  had 
already  touched  with  its  inexorable  finger. 

Hence,  there  was  a  perfect  jam  in  front  of  the  university 
building;  the  equipages  of  the  high  nobility  formed  two  im- 
mense lines  down  the  long  street;  like  a  black,  surging  stream, 
rising  from  moment  to  moment,  the  part  of  the  audience 
arriving  on  foot  moved  along  the  houses  and  between  the 
double  line  of  carriages  toward  the  entrance  of  the  building. 

Thousands  had  vainly  applied  for  admission  at  the  ticket- 
office  ;  there  was  room  only  for  fifteen  hundred  persons  in  the 
aula  and  the  adjoining  rooms,  and  perhaps  as  many  thousands 
had  come  to  hear  the  concert.  As  they  could  not  be  admitted 
into  the  hall,  they  remained  in  the  street  in  front  of  the  build- 


THE   PERFORMANCE  OF   "THE  CREATION."  53 

ing;  as  they  could  not  hear  Haydn's  music,  they  wished  at 
least  to  see  his  face  and  cheer  him  on  his  arrival  at  the  door. 

But  there  was  a  surging  crowd  also  in  the  festively-deco- 
rated university  hall.  All  had  come  in  their  holiday  attire, 
and  joy  and  profound  emotion  beamed  from  all  faces. 
Friends  shook  hands  and  greeted  each  other  with  radiant  eyes ; 
and  even  those  who  did  not  know  each  other  exchanged  kindly 
greetings  and  pleasant  smiles  on  seating  themselves  side  by 
side,  and  looked  at  each  other  as  though  they  were  friends  and 
acquaintances,  and  not  entire  strangers. 

For  all  felt  the  great  importance  of  this  hour ;  all  felt  them- 
selves Germans,  owing  to  the  homage  which  they  were  to 
render  to  the  German  maestro  and  to  German  music ;  and  all 
knew  that  this  festival  would  be  looked  upon  beyond  the  Rhine 
as  a  hostile  demonstration  of  the  Germans  against  French  pride 
and  arrogance.  They  wished  to  show  to  France  that,  although 
Germany  was  dismembered,  the  heart  of  the  Germans 
throbbed  for  Germany  and  German  art,  and  that  they  did  not 
feel  at  all  alarmed  at  the  grandiloquent  threats  of  the  Em- 
peror of  the  French,  but  yielded  with  undisturbed  equanim- 
ity to  the  enjoyment  of  German  art.  While  the  threatening 
words  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon  were  resounding,  like  ringing 
war-fanfares,  from  Paris,  the  Viennese  desired  to  respond  to 
him  by  the  beautiful  notes  of  sublime  music;  and,  regardless 
of  the  growls  of  the  lion  beyond  the  Rhine,  they  wished  to  de- 
light in  the  soul-stirring  harmonies  of  ''The  Creation." 

All  preparations  were  now  completed.  The  hall  was  all 
ablaze  with  the  wax-lights  which  were  beaming  down  from 
those  gigantic  lustres,  and  whose  rays  were  reflected  in  the 
large  mirrors  covering  the  walls.  The  imperial  box  was  splen- 
didly festooned  with  rare  flowers,  and  decorated  with  carpets 
and  gilt  candelabra,  whose  enormous  wax-lights  filled  the 
interior  of  the  spacious  box  with  broad  daylight. 

Opposite  the  imperial  box,  on  the  other  side  of  the  hall, 
rose  the  large  tribune  destined  for  an  orchestra  of  eighty  per- 
formers and  a  choir  of  one  hundred  singers.  All  the  latter, 
too,  were  in  joyous  spirits ;  all  were  animated  to-day,  not  by 
the  envy  and  jealousy  so  often  to  be  found  among  artistes,  but 
by  the  one  great  desire  to  contribute  their  share  to  the  homage 


54:  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

to  be  rendered  to  German  art.  They  did  not  wish  to-day  to 
exhibit  themselves  and  their  artistic  skill,  but  desired  only  to 
render  homage  to  the  music  of  the  great  maestro,  and  to  Ger- 
man art. 

And  now  the  hour  was  at  hand  when  the  concert  was  to 
commence.  The  audience  had  taken  their  seats,  the  orchestra 
ceased  tuning  their  instruments,  the  singers  were  in  readiness, 
and  the  committee  of  arrangements  had  gone  down  to  the 
street-door  to  await  Haydn's  arrival. 

The  door  of  the  imperial  box  opened  at  this  moment,  and 
the  emperor  and  empress  entered,  followed  by  the  archdukes 
and  their  suites.  To-day  for  the  first  time  the  audience  took 
no  notice  of  these  august  persons;  they  did  uot  rise  to  greet 
the  imperial  couple  and  the  archdukes.  No  one  had  perceived 
their  arrival,  for  all  eyes  were  steadfastly  fixed  on  the  large 
folding-doors  by  which  Joseph  Haydn  was  to  enter  the 
hall. 

He  had  been  expected  already  for  some  time,  and  the  au- 
dience began  to  whisper  anxiously  :  "  Will  he,  perhaps,  not 
come,  after  all  ?  Will  his  physician  not  permit  him  to  go  to 
the  concert  because  the  excitement  might  be  injurious  to 
him?" 

But  all  at  once  the  silence  was  broken  by  a  noise  in  the 
street,  which  sounded  like  the  roar  of  the  stormy  ocean;  it 
rent  the  air,  and  caused  the  windows  of  the  hall  to  rattle. 
And  the  audience  was  joyfully  moved  ;  all  faces  became  ra- 
diant, all  turned  their  eyes  toward  the  door. 

Now  this  door  opened,  and  a  beautiful  though  strange 
group  appeared  in  it.  In  its  midst,  on  the  shoulders  of  eight 
strong  young  men,  arose  an  easy  chair,  festooned  with  flowers, 
and  in  this  chair  sat  the  small,  bent  form  of  an  old  man.  His 
face  was  pale  and  wan,  and  in  his  forehead  the  seventy-seven 
years  of  his  life  had  drawn  deep  furrows  ;  but  from  his  large 
blue  eyes  beamed  the  eternal  fire  of  youth,  and  there  was 
something  childlike  and  touching  in  the  smile  of  his  mouth. 
On  the  right  side  of  his  easy-chair  was  seen  the  imposing  form 
of  a  gentleman,  plainly  dressed,  but  with  a  head  full  of  ma- 
jestic dignity,  his  face  gloomy  and  wild,  his  high  forehead, 
surrounded  by  dense  dishevelled  hair,  his  eyes  now  gleaming 


THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  "THE   CREATION."  55 

with  sombre  fires,  now  glancing  mildly  and  amiably.  It  was 
Louis  von  Beethoven,  whom  Haydn  liked  to  call  his  pupil,  and 
whose  fame  had  at  that  time  already  penetrated  far  beyond 
the  frontiers  of  Austria.  On  the  left  side  of  the  easy-chair 
was  seen  the  fine,  expressive  face  of  Salieri,  who  liked  to  call 
himself  Gluck's  pupil  ;  and  side  by  side  with  these  two  walked 
Kreutzer  and  dementi,  and  the  other  members  of  the  com- 
mittee of  arrangements. 

Thundering  cheers  greeted  their  appearance  ;  the  whole 
audience  rose  ;  even  the  Empress  Ludovica  started  up  from 
her  gilded  chair  and  bowed  smilingly  ;  and  the  Archduke 
John  advanced  close  to  the  railing  of  the  box  to  greet  again 
and  again  with  pleasant  nods  of  his  head  and  waves  of  his 
hand  Joseph  Haydn,  thus  borne  along  above  the  heads  of  the 
audience.  But  the  Emperor  Francis,  who  was  standing  by 
the  side  of  his  consort,  looked  with  a  somewhat  sneering  ex- 
pression on  the  crowd  below,  and,  turning  to  the  empress,  he 
said :  ''  Perhaps  my  dear  Viennese  may  consider  Haydn  on 
his  easy-chair  yonder  their  emperor,  and  I  myself  may  abdi- 
cate and  go  home.  They  did  not  even  look  at  us  to-night,  and 
are  raising  such  a  fuss  now  as  though  God  Almighty  had  en- 
tered the  hall ! " 

In  effect,  the  exultation  of  the  audience  increased  at  every 
step  which  the  procession  advanced,  and  endless  cheers  accom- 
panied the  composer  to  the  seat  which  had  been  prepared  for 
him  on  an  estrade  in  front  of  the  orchestra. 

Here  two  beautiful  ladies  of  high  rank  came  to  meet  him, 
and  presented  to  him,  on  cushions  of  gold-embroidered  velvet, 
poems  written  by  Collin  and  Carpani,  and  printed  on  silken 
ribbons.  At  the  same  time  many  hundred  copies  of  these 
poems  flittered  through  the  hall,  and  all  shouted  joyously, 
"  Long  live  Joseph  Haydn,  the  German  maestro  ! "  And  the 
orchestra  played  a  ringing  flourish,  and  the  cheers  of  the  au- 
dience rent  the  air  again  and  again. 

Joseph  Haydn,  quite  overcome,  his  eyes  filled  with  tears, 
leaned  his  head  against  the  back  of  his  chair.  A  mortal  pal- 
lor overspread  his  cheeks,  and  his  hands  trembled  as  though 
he  had  the  fever. 

"  Maestro,  dear,  dear  maestro  ! "  said  the  Princess  Esterhazy, 


56  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

bending  over  him  tenderly,  "  are  you  unwell  ?  You  tremble, 
and  are  so  pale  !  Are  you  unwell  ? " 

"  Oh,  no,  no,"  said  Haydn,  with  a  gentle  smile,  "  my  soul  is 
in  ecstasies  at  this  hour,  which  is  a  precious  reward  for  a  long 
life  of  arduous  toils.  My  soul  is  in  ecstasies,  but  it  lives  in 
such  a  weak  arid  wretched  shell  ;  and  because  the  soul  is  all 
ablaze  with  the  fires  of  rapturous  delight,  the  whole  warmth  has 
entered  it,  and  the  poor  mortal  shell  is  cold  and  trembling." 

The  Princess  Esterhazy  took  impetuously  from  her  shoul- 
ders the  costly  Turkish  shawl  in  which  her  form  was  en- 
veloped ;  she  spread  it  out  before  Haydn  and  wrapped  it  care- 
fully round  his  feet.  Her  example  was  followed  immediately 
by  the  Princesses  Lichtenstein  and  Kinsky,  and  the  Count- 
esses Kaunitz  and  Spielmann.  They  doffed  their  beautiful  er- 
mine furs  and  their  Turkish  and  Persian  shawls,  and  wrapped 
them  around  the  old  composer,  and  transformed  them  into 
cushions  which  they  placed  under  his  head  and  his  arms,  and 
blankets  with  which  they  covered  him.* 

Haydn  allowed  them  smilingly  to  do  so,  and  thanked,  with 
glances  of  joyful  emotion,  the  beautiful  ladies  who  manifested 
so  much  tender  solicitude  for  him. 

"  Why  can  I  not  die  now  ? ''  he  said  to  himself  in  a  low 
voice.  "  Why  does  not  Death  kiss  my  lips  at  this  glorious 
hour  of  my  triumph  ?  Oh,  come,  Death  !  waft  me  blissfully 
into  the  other  world,  for  in  this  world  I  am  useless  hence- 
forth ;  my  strength  is  gone,  and  my  head  has  no  more  ideas. 
I  live  only  in  and  on  the  past  ! '' 

"  And  yet  you  live  for  all  time  to  come,"  said  the  Princess 
Esterhazy,  enthusiastically,  "and  while  German  art  and  Ger- 
man music  are  loved  and  honored,  Joseph  Haydn  will  never 
die  and  never  be  forgotten." 

Hushed  now  was  every  sound.  Salieri  had  taken  his  seat 
as  conductor  of  the  concert,  and  signed  now  to  the  orchestra. 

The  audience  listened  in  breathless  silence  to  the  tumultu- 
ous notes  depicting  in  so  masterly  a  manner  the  struggle  of 
light  and  darkness,  the  chaos  of  the  elements.  The  struggle 
of  the  elements  becomes  more  and  more  furious,  and  the 
music  depicts  it  in  sombre,  violent  notes,  when  suddenly  the 
*  See  "  Zeitgenossen,"  third  series,  vol.  vi.,  p.  32. 


THE  PERFORMANCE   OF   "  THE  CREATION."  57 

horizon  brightens,  the  clouds  are  rent,  the  dissonant  sounds 
pass  into  a  sublime  harmony,  and  in  glorious  notes  of  the 
most  blissful  exultation  resound  through  the  struggling  uni- 
verse the  grand,  redeeming  words,  "  Let  there  be  light  !  "  And 
all  join  in  the  rapturous  chorus,  and  repeat  in  blissful  concord, 
"  Let  there  be  light !  " 

The  audience,  carried  away  by  the  grandeur  and  irresistible 
power  of  these  notes,  burst  into  long-continued  applause. 

Haydn  took  no  notice  of  it ;  he  heard  only  his  music ;  his  soul 
was  entirely  absorbed  in  it,  and  lifting  both  his  arms  to  heaven, 
he  said  devoutly  and  humbly,  "  It  comes  from  above  ! "  * 

The  audience  had  heard  these  loud  and  enthusiastic  words  ; 
it  applauded  no  longer,  but  looked  in  reverent  silence  toward 
the  aged  composer,  who,  in  the  midst  of  his  most  glorious 
triumph,  rendered  honor  to  God  alone,  and  bowed  piously  and 
modestly  to  the  work  of  his  own  genius. 

The  performance  proceeded.  But  Joseph  Haydn  hardly 
heard  much  of  the  music.  His  head  leaned  against  the  back  of 
the  chair;  his  face,  lit  up  by  a  blissful  smile,  was  deathly  pale ; 
his  eyes  cast  fervent  glances  of  gratitude  toward  heaven,  and 
seemed,  in  their  ecstatic  gaze,  to  see  the  whole  heavens  opened. 

"  Maestro,''  said  the  Princess  Esterhazy,  when  the  first  part 
of  the  performance  was  ended,  "  you  must  no  longer  remain 
here,  but  return  to  your  quiet  home." 

"  Yes,  I  shall  return  to  the  quiet  home  which  awaits  us  all," 
said  Haydn,  mildly,  "  and  I  feel  sensibly  that  I  shall  remain 
no  longer  among  men.  A  sweet  dream  seems  to  steal  over 
me.  Let  the  performers  commence  the  second  part,  and  my 
soul  will  be  wafted  to  heaven  on  the  wings  of  my  music." 

But  the  Princess  Esterhazy  beckoned  to  his  friends.  "  Take 
him  away,"  she  said,  "  the  excitement  will  kill  him,  if  he  stays 
any  longer." 

They  approached  his  chair  and  begged  permission  to  escort 
him  home.  Haydn  nodded  his  assent  silently  and  smilingly, 
and  his  eyes  glanced  dreamily  round  the  hall. 

Suddenly  he  gave  a  start  as  if  in  great  terror,  and  rose  so 
impetuously  that  the  furs  and  Turkish  shawls,  which  had  been 
wrapped  round  him,  fell  to  the  floor.  His  face  crimsoned 

*  "  Zeitgenosaen,"  ibid. 


58  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

as  if  in  the  light  of  the  setting  sun  ;  his  eyes  looked  up  with  a 
radiant  expression  to  the  box  yonder — to  his  emperor,  whom 
he  had  loved  so  long  and  ardently,  for  whom  he  had  wept  in 
the  days  of  adversity,  for  whom  he  had  prayed  and  sung  at  all 
times.  Now  he  saw  him  who,  in  his  eyes,  represented  father- 
land, home,  and  human  justice  ;  he  felt  that  it  was  the  last  time 
his  eyes  would  behold  him,  and  he  wished  to  bid  farewell  at 
this  hour  to  the  world,  his  fatherland,  and  his  emperor. 

With  a  vigorous  hand  he  pushed  back  the  friends  who 
would  have  held  him  and  i-eplaced  him  in  his  chair.  Now  he 
was  no  longer  a  weak  and  decrepit  old  man  ;  he  felt  strong 
and  active,  and  he  hastened  forward  with  a  rapid  step  through 
the  orchestra  toward  the  conductor's  seat  and  the  piano  in 
front  of  it.  He  laid  his  hands,  which  trembled  no  longer,  on 
the  keys,  and  struck  a  full  concord.  He  turned  his  face  to- 
ward the  imperial  box  ;  his  eyes  beamed  with  love  and  exulta- 
tion, and  he  began  to  play  his  favorite  hymn  with  impressive 
enthusiasm — the  hymn  which  he  had  composed  ten  years  ago 
in  the  days  of  Austria's  adversity,  and  which  he  had  sung 
every  day  since  then, — the  hymn,  ''  Gott  erhalte  Franz  den 
Kaiser,  unsern  guten  Kaiser  Franz!"  And  the  audience 
rose  and  gazed  with  profound  emotion  upon  Joseph  Haydn's 
gleaming  face,  and  then  up  to  the  emperor,  who  was  standing 
smilingly  in  his  box,  and  the  empress,  from  whose  eyes  two 
large  tears  rolled  down  her  pale  cheeks  ;  and  with  one  accord 
the  vast  crowd  commenced  singing  : 

"  Gott  erhalte  Franz  den  Kaiser, 
Unsern  guten  Kaiser  Franz  ! 
Lange  lebe  Franz  der  Kaiser 
In  des  Gliickes  hellem  Kranz  ! 
Ihm  erbliihen  Lorbeerreiser, 
Wo  er  geht,  zuin  Ehrenkranz. 
Gott  erhalte—"  * 

*  "  God  preserve  the  emperor, 
Francis,  our  good  emperor ! 
Long  live  Francis,  brightest  gem 
In  fair  Fortune's  diadem ! 
O'er  him  see  the  laurel  wave, 
Honoring  the  true,  the  brave  I 
fiod  preserve — " 


THE   PERFORMANCE  OF  ''THE   CREATION."  59 

Haydn's  hands  dropped  exhausted  from  the  keys  ;  his  form 
rocked  to  and  fro,  and,  half  fainting,  he  sank  back  into  the 
arms  of  Salieri  and  Kreutzer. 

The  audience  paused  ;  all  forgot  the  imperial  hymn,  and 
looked  only  at  the  venerable  old  maestro,  whom  Salieri  and 
Kreutzer  lowered  now  softly  into  the  easy-chair,  which  had 
been  brought  to  them. 

"  Take  me  home,  dear  ones,"  he  said,  faintly,  "  sing  on,  my 
'  Creation ' ;  my  soul  will  remain  with  you,  but  my  body  can 
no  longer  stay.  Old  age  has  broken  its  strength.  Farewell, 
farewell,  all  of  you  !  My  soul  will  always  be  among  you  when 
you  sing  my  music  ;  my  body  will  go,  but  the  soul  will  re- 
main. Farewell  ! " 

And  the  votaries  of  art  who  had  conveyed  him  to  the  hall 
now  placed  the  maestro's  chair  again  on  their  shoulders,  and 
carried  it  slowly  through  the  hall  toward  the  entrance. 

The  audience  stood  in  silent  reverence  and  looked  up  to 
Haydn's  passing  form,  and  durst  not  break  this  profound  still- 
ness by  uttering  a  sound.  They  bade  farewell  to  the  univer- 
sally beloved  and  revered  maestro  only  by  bowing  their  heads 
to  him  and  shedding  tears  of  emotion — farewell  for  evermore  ! 

The  solemn  procession  had  now  arrived  at  the  door.  Jo- 
seph Haydn  lifted  his  weary  head  once  more  ;  his  spirit 
gleamed  once  more  in  his  eyes  ;  an  expression  of  unutterable 
love  beamed  from  his  mild  face  ;  he  stretched  out  his  arms 
toward  the  orchestra  as  if  to  bless  it,  and  greeted  it  with  his 
smile,  with  the  nodding  of  his  head,  and  the  tears  which  filled 
his  eyes.* 

A  low  rustling  and  sobbing  passed  through  the  hall ;  no 
one  was  courageous  enough  to  clap  his  hands  ;  all  hearts  were 
profoundly  moved,  all  eyes  filled  with  tears. 

But  now  he  disappeared,  and  the  door  closed  behind  Joseph 
Haydn.  The  German  maestro  had  to-day  celebrated  his  apo- 
theosis amidst  the  enthusiastic  people  of  Vienna.  Life  had 
dedicated  to  him  the  laurel-wreath  which  usually  only  death 
grants  to  poets  and  artists. 

The  audience  was  still  silent,  when  all  at  once  a  powerful 
voice  exclaimed  :  "  Let  us  sing  the  second  verse  of  Haydn's 

*  u  Zeitgenossen,"  third  series,  voL  iv.,  p.  88. 


60  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

favorite  hymn — the  second  verse  of  '  Gott  erhalte  Franz  den 
Kaiser!'" 

"  Yes,  yes,"  shouted  all,  enthusiastically,  "  the  second  verse  ! 
the  second  verse  !  " 

And  hundreds  of  voices  shouted  to  the  orchestra  beseech- 
ingly, imperiously,  thunderingly,  that  it  should  play  the  ac- 
companiment ;  and  the  musicians  complied  with  this  tumultu- 
ous request. 

The  audience  expressed  their  gratitude  by  an  outburst  of 
applause,  and  sang  thereupon  the  second  verse  : 

"  Lass  von  seiner  Fahne  Spitzen 
Strahlen  Sieg  und  Furchtbarkeit ! 
Lass  in  seinem  Rathe  sitzen 
Weisheit,  Klugheit,  Redlichkeit, 
Und  mit  seiner  Hoheit  Blitzen 
Schalten  nur  Gerechtigkeit. 
Gott  erhalte  Franz  den  Kaiser, 
Unsern  guten  Kaiser  Franz  ! "  * 

The  emperor  bowed  his  thanks  to  the  audience,  the  orches- 
tra commenced  again  playing  the  air,  and  the  audience  sang 

anew  : 

"  Lass  von  seiner  Fahne  Spitzen 
Strahlen  Sieg  und  Furchtbarkeit ! " 

And  arms  and  hands  were  lifted  here  and  there  beseech- 
ingly toward  the  emperor  ;  in  vain  the  orchestra  tried  to  play 
on  ;  the  audience,  with  rare  unanimity,  as  if  seized  with  one 
sentiment  and  one  wish,  sang  again  and  again  : 

"  Lass  von  seiner  Fahne  Spitzen 
Strahlen  Sieg  und  Furchtbarkeit ! " 

And  then  all  shouted  loudly,  beseechingly,  and  withal  an- 

*  "  Before  his  banner  floating  high 
Let  victory  shout  and  foemen  fly ! 
In  his  counsels  let  preside 
Wisdom,  prudence,  noble  pride  1 
And  in  loftiness  enshrined 
Homely  justice  dwelling  find  1 
God  preserve  the  emperor, 
Francis,  our  good  emperor  1 " 


THE   PERFORMANCE   OF   "THE   CREATION."  61 

grily  and  courageously,  "  War  !  war  !    Lass  von  seiner  Fahne 
Spitzen  slrahlen  Sieg  und  Furchtbarkeit  I " 

The  excitement  of  the  audience  grew  constantly  bolder  and 
more  impetuous.  The  men  left  their  seats  and  crowded 
around  the  imperial  box,  repeating  again  and  again  the  words  : 

"  Lass  von  seiner  Fahne  Spitzen 
Strahlen  Sieg  und  Furchtbarkeit ! " 

The  emperor  withdrew  in  confusion  into  the  background 
of  his  box,  and  whispered  quickly  a  few  words  to  the  Arch- 
duke John.  The  archduke  advanced  to  the  railing  of  the  box, 
and  commanded  silence  by  waving  his  hand  to  the  audience. 
The  singers  paused  immediately,  and  amidst  the  breathless 
silence  which  ensued,  the  Archduke  John  shouted  in  a  loud 
and  powerful  voice  :  "  The  emperor  announces  to  his  dear 
Viennese  that  he  is  determined  to  submit  no  longer  to  the  ar- 
rogance of  France,  and  that  war  is  irrevocably  resolved 
on." 

A  cry  of  rapture  burst  from  all  lips  ;  all  shouted  exulting- 
ly,  "  War  !  war  !  We  shall  at  length  bid  defiance  to  the  arro- 
gance of  the  French  emperor  !  We  shall  have  war  with 
France  ;  we  shall  avenge  the  wrongs  which  we  have  suffered 
so  long,  and  set  bounds  to  the  encroachments  of  France  !  " 

And  friends  and  acquaintances  greeted  each  other  with  radi- 
ant eyes  and  glowing  cheeks  ;  neighbors,  entirely  unknown  to 
each  other,  shook  hands  and  said,  smilingly  :  "  Now  at  length 
we  shall  have  war  !  At  length  we  shall  remove  from  our 
German  honor  the  stains  with  which  France  has  sullied  it. 
At  length  we  shall  have  war,  and  God  will  grant  us — " 

The  ringing  notes  of  the  orchestra  interrupted  the  animated 
conversation  of  the  excited  audience.  Salieri  had  taken  his 
seat  again,  he  raised  his  baton,  and  the  second  part  of  "  The 
Creation  "  commenced. 


62  ANDREAS   HOFER, 

CHAPTER  VL 

ANDREAS  HOFER. 

THE  streets  of  Vienna  were  silent  and  deserted  ;  all  houses 
were  dark  ;  everywhere  the  note  of  life  had  died  away,  and 
only  here  and  there  a  hackney-coach  was  heard  to  drive  slow- 
ly through  the  lonely  streets,  or  a  belated  wanderer  was  seen 
to  return  home  with  a  weary  step. 

Vienna  slept  and  dreamed  of  the  welcome  news  which,  de- 
spite the  late  hour,  had  spread  like  wild-fire  from  the  concert- 
hall  through  the  city — of  the  joyful  intelligence  that  war 
against  France  was  resolved  on,  and  that  the  time  was  at 
length  at  hand  when  the  wrongs  perpetrated  by  Napoleon 
were  to  be  avenged. 

Vienna  slept  and  dreamed  ;  only  in  the  wing  of  the  im- 
perial palace  where  lay  the  rooms  occupied  by  the  Archduke 
John,  the  lights  had  not  yet  been  extinguished,  and  at  times 
dark  figures  were  seen  moving  to  and  fro  behind  the  windows. 

The  Archduke  John  did  not  sleep  yet,  but  he  had  already 
dismissed  Conrad,  his  valet  de  chambre ;  he  had  permitted  the 
other  footmen  to  retire  from  the  anteroom  to  their  bedcham- 
bers, and  had  then  himself  locked  the  door  of  the  outer  ante- 
room. 

"  I  do  not  trust  Conrad,  my  valet  de  chambre,"  he  said  to 
Count  Nugent,  who  was  with  him  in  his  cabinet:  "it  is  he, 
doubtless,  who  has  been  placed  as  a  '  guardian  angel '  by  my 
side,  and  is  to  report  regularly  all  I  am  doing." 

"  Your  highness  ought  to  discharge  the  fellow  forthwith," 
exclaimed  Count  Nugent,  indignantly. 

"  I  shall  take  good  care  not  to  do  so,"  said  John,  smiling ; 
"  on  the  contrary,  I  shall  try  to  keep  Conrad  as  long  as  pos- 
sible in  my  service,  for  I  know  him,  and  shall  be  able  to  mys- 
tify him.  I  shall  always  have  to  suffer  a  spy  by  my  side,  for 
the  love  and  solicitude  of  my  imperial  brother  will  never 
leave  me  for  a  single  moment  without  close  surveillance:  and 
Conrad  is  less  distasteful  to  me  than  another  spy  probably 
would  be.  Still,  I  did  not  want  him  to  report  any  thing  about 


ANDREAS   HOFEK.  63 

the  visitors  who  will  be  here  to-night,  and  therefore  I  dis- 
missed him  for  the  night." 

"But  he  will  probably  stand  in  the  street  to  watch  his 
master's  windows,''  said  Nugent,  with  a  shrug;  "and  the 
shadows  which  he  will  see  he  may  distort  into  all  sorts  of 
spectres  which  will  be  mentioned  in  the  emperor's  police 
report  to-morrow  morning." 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  afraid  of  that  at  this  hour,"  exclaimed  John. 
"  The  emperor  knows  that  I  am  to  receive  the  delegates  of  the 
Tyrolese ;  I  myself  told  him  so  to-day,  and  he  approves  of  it. 
But  harm  might  befall  my  Tyrolese  at  their  homes,  if  their 
plans  were  discovered  previous  to  their  deliverance  from  the 
Bavarian  yoke.  But  hush,  did  you  not  hear  a  rustling  sound 
in  the  corridor  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  did ;  it  is  drawing  near — it  is  at  the  door  now,  and 
— somebody  raps  already." 

"  Our  friends  are  there,"  exclaimed  John,  hastening  to  the 
door,  and  drawing  back  the  bolt. 

The  archduke  was  not  mistaken;  his  friends  were  there, 
and  entered  his  cabinet  now  by  the  secret  door.  They  were 
headed  by  Baron  von  Hormayr  in  his  brilliant  gold-embroid- 
ered uniform,  which  rendered  doubly  conspicuous  the  beauty 
of  his  slender  yet  firmly-knit  form,  and  the  noble  expression 
of  his  prepossessing,  youthful  face.  He  was  followed  by  three 
Tyrolese,  clad  in  their  national  costume,  and  holding  their 
rifles  in  their  arms. 

The  first  of  them  was  a  man  about  forty  years  old.  His 
frame  was  Herculean,  his  shoulders  broad,  his  strength  im- 
mense ;  his  head  was  covered  with  dense  black  hair,  his 
bronzed  face  was  radiant  with  kind  heartedness  and  good- 
humor.  His  dress  was  the  common  habit  of  the  country, 
with  some  trifling  variations :  a  large  black  hat,  with  a  broad 
brim,  black  ribbons,  and  a  dark  curling  feather ;  a  green 
jacket,  red  waistcoat,  broad  green  braces  crossed  on  the  breast ; 
a  black  leathern  girdle,  adorned,  according  to  the  Tyrolese 
custom,  with  all  sorts  of  ivory  and  other  ornaments;  black 
breeches,  red  stockings,  and  black  shoes  with  buckles.  About 
his  neck  was  always  to  be  seen  a  silver  crucifix  fastened  to  a 
heavy  gold  chain,  and  over  it,  down  to  the  girdle,  flowed  his 


64:  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

large  black  beard,  which  imparted  a  strange,  fantastic  air  to 
his  whole  appearance.  This  man  was  Andreas  Hofer,  the 
innkeeper  of  Passeyr,  to  whom  the  Italian  Tyrolese,  on 
account  of  his  long  beard,  had  given  the  name  of  "Bar- 
bone." 

The  second  of  the  Tyrolese  who  entered  the  archduke's 
cabinet  was  a  man  of  no  less  imposing  appearance,  dressed 
entirely  like  Andreas  Hofer ;  only  the  long  beard  was  want- 
ing to  him,  and,  instead  of  a  black  hat,  he  wore  the  pointed 
green  Tyrolese  hat,  adorned  with  hunting  ornaments.  His 
face,  less  good-natured  and  serene  than  that  of  his  friend,  was 
expressive  of  energy  and  resolution ;  courage  and  shrewdness 
beamed  from  his  black  eyes,  and  a  peculiar  expression  of  de- 
fiance and  scorn  played  around  his  full  lips.  This  was  Joseph 
Speckbacher,  known  by  every  inhabitant  of  the  northern 
Tyrol  as  "the  bold  chamois-hunter." 

He  was  followed  by  a  third  Tyrolese,  as  proud  and  strong, 
as  robust  and  fine-looking,  as  his  two  companions.  It  was 
Anthony  Wallner,  the  innkeeper  of  Windisch-Matrey,  and, 
like  Speckbacher,  Hofer's  intimate  friend. 

The  archduke  advanced  to  meet  the  Tyrolese,  and  shook 
iands  with  each  of  them. 

u  Welcome,  my  Tyrolese,  welcome  ! "  he  said,  in  a  deeply- 
iiioved  voice  ;  "  may  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  grant  that  no 
harm  result  from  your  visit  to  me  !  You  know  that  I  have 
never  ceased  to  love  you,  and  that  when,  in  the  year  1805,  I 
had  to  bid  farewell  to  Andreas  Hofer  and  the  dear  Tyrol,  my 
heart  almost  broke  with  grief  and  despair. " 

"  Look,  look  ! "  exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer,  turning  with  a 
radiant  smile  to  his  two  friends;  "he  is  indeed  the  same  man 
who  bade  us  farewell  at  that  time  in  Brunecken,  and  was  not 
ashamed  of  embracing  Andreas  Hofer  and  shedding  tears  on 
his  shoulder  for  the  poor  sacrificed  Tyrol." 

"And  who  is  glad  to-day  to  be  able  to  embrace  Andreas 
Hofer  again,"  said  the  archduke,  encircling  the  Herculean 
form  of  the  Tyrolese  innkeeper  with  his  arms.  "  But  I  will 
shed  no  tears  to-day,  Andreas,  for  I  hope  the  time  of  tears  is 
over,  and  you  have  come  to  tell  me  so,  to  bring  me  love-greet- 
ings from  the  Tyrolese,  and  the  hope  of  better  times.  Say, 


ANDREAS   HOFER.  65 

you  three  brave  men  from  the  Tyrol,  Andreas  Hofer,  Joseph 
Speckbacher,  Anthony  Wallner,  is  it  not  so  ?  Have  you  not 
come  to  tell  me  that  the  Tyrol  is  longing  for  her  emperor  and 
desirous  of  getting  rid  of  the  Bavarians  ?" 

"Yes,  we  have  come  to  say  this  to  our  dear  John,"  ex 
claimed  Andreas  Hofer. 

"  We  have  come  to  ask  if  Austria  does  not  intend  to  call 
upon  her  Tyrol  to  rise  and  fight  under  her  banners,"  said 
Joseph  Speckbacher. 

"  We  have  come  to  ask  our  Archduke  John  if  he  will  help 
us  with  his  troops  and  cannon  in  case  we  Tyrolese  should  rise 
now  to  expel  the  Bavarians  from  the  country,"  said  Anthony 
Wallner,  with  flashing  eyes. 

•'  We  have  come  to  ask  our  John,  Is  it  time  ? "  exclaimed 
Andreas  Hofer. 

The  archduke  held  out  his  hand  to  him  with  a  firm  and 
resolute  glance.  "Yes,"  he  said,  ''yes,  Andreas  Hofer,  it  is 
time  !  Yes,  Anthony  Wallner,  Austria  will  assist  the  Tyrolese 
with  her  troops  and  cannon  in  expelling  the  Bavarians  and 
French  from  their  country.  Yes,  Joseph  Speckbacher,  Austria 
intends  to  call  upon  her  faithful  Tyrol  to  rise  and  fight  under 
her  banners ;  she  will  engage  in  a  mortal  contest  for  you  and 
with  you  ! " 

"  God  grant  success  to  our  united  efforts  ! "  said  Andreas 
Hofer,  folding  his  hands  over  the  crucifix  on  his  breast. 
'fDuring  all  these  years  I  have  prayed  every  day  to  the  Holy 
Virgin  to  let  me  live  and  see  the  day  when  the  Austrian  eagle 
shall  once  more  adorn  our  boundary-posts,  and  when  we  may 
again  fondly  and  faithfully  love  our  Emperor  Francis  as  oui 
legitimate  sovereign.  The  good  God  in  heaven.  I  hope,  will 
forgive  me  for  having  been  a  very  bad  and  obstinate  subject 
of  the  King  of  Bavaria.  I  would  never  submit  to  the  new 
laws,  and  could  not  discover  in  my  old  Austrian  heart  a  bit  of 
loyalty  or  love  for  the  ruler  who  was  forced  upon  us." 

"  No,  you  were  a  stubborn  disloyalist,  Andy."  said  Hor- 
mayr,  "and,  as  spokesman  of  your  whole  district,  you  raised 
your  voice  against  every  new  law  which  the  Bavarian  govern- 
ment promulgated  in  your  country.  But,  it  is  true,  the  Tyro- 
lese love  their  Andy  for  this,  and  say  that  he  is  the  most 


66  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

honest,  faithful,  and  reliable  man  in  the  whole  valley  of  the 
Adige." 

"  To  be  courageous  is  not  so  difficult  if  the  cause  which  you 
fight  for  is  a  good  one,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  calmly.  "  God 
Himself  engraved  on  my  heart  the  commandment  to  be  loyal 
to  my  emperor,  my  country,  and  its  laws ;  and  if  you  call  me 
reliable,  dear  friend,  you  merely  say  that  I  do  my  duty  as  a 
Christian,  for  the  Bible  says,  'Let  your  communication  be 
Yea,  yea;  nay,  nay;  for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  cometh 
of  sin.'  Therefore,  do  not  praise  me  for  that  which  is  only  my 
duty,  and  which  Speckbacher  and  Wallner,  and  all  our  dear 
friends  in  the  valley  of  the  Adige,  do  just  as  well  as  I.  For 
the  rest,  I  must  tell  you,  gentlemen,  it  is  not  so  strange  that 
we  should  be  attached  to  the  emperor ;  for  the  Bavarians  are 
governing  our  country  in  such  a  manner  as  if  they  were  intent 
only  on  making  us  love  our  emperor  every  day  more  and  more, 
and  long  for  him  more  intensely." 

"It  is  true,  Andy  is  right,"  exclaimed  Anthony  Wallner  ; 
"  the  Bavarians  oppress  us  fearfully,  and  we  will  not  stand  it 
any  longer  ;  we  will  become  Austrians  again,  as  our  fathers 
were,  and  will  fight  for  our  liberty  and  our  old  privileges 
which  Bavaria  solemnly  guaranteed,  and  which  her  authori- 
ties basely  intend  to  overthrow." 

"Which  they  have  already  overthrown,"  cried  Joseph 
Speckbacher,  his  eyes  flashing  with  anger.  "The  court  of 
Munich  seems  intent  only  on  making  the  utmost  of  their  new 
acquisition.  Our  old  constitution  has  been  overthrown  by  a 
royal  edict ;  the  representative  estates  have  been  suppressed, 
and  the  provincial  funds  seized.  No  less  than  eight  new  and 
oppressive  taxes  have  been  imposed  and  are  being  levied  with 
the  utmost  rigor  ;  the  very  name  of  our  country  has  been 
abolished  ;  the  royal  property  has  all  been  brought  into  the 
market ;  new  imports  are  daily  exacted  without  any  consulta- 
tion with  the  estates  of  the  people  ;  specie  has  become  scarce, 
from  the  quantity  of  it  which  is  being  drawn  off  to  the  Bava- 
rian treasury  ;  the  Austrian  notes  have  been  reduced  to  half 
their  value  ;  and,  to  crown  all  these  wrongs,  compulsory  levies 
ai-e  held  among  our  young  men,  who  are  to  serve  in  the  ranks 
of  our  oppressors !  No,  we  must  break  the  yoke  weighing  us 


ANDREAS  HOFER.  67 

down — we  will  become  freemen  again — as  freemen  we  will 
live  and  die — as  freemen  we  will  belong  again  to  our  beloved 
Emperor  Francis,  whose  ancestors  have  ruled  over  us  for  so 
many  centuries  past." 

"  If  all  the  Tyrolese  think  and  feel  as  you  three  do,"  said 
the  Archduke  John,  with  sparkling  eyes,  "you  will  recover 
your  liberty  and  your  emperor,  despite  the  Bavarians  and 
French." 

"  All  feel  and  think  as  we  do,"  said  Hofer,  thoughtfully ; 
"  we  have  ail  vowed  to  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  that  we  will 
deliver  the  Tyrol  from  the  enemy;  and  every  man,  every  lad 
in  our  mountains  and  valleys,  is  ready  to  take  up  his  rifle  and 
fight  for  his  dear  Emperor  Francis." 

"  We  are  here  as  delegates  of  the  whole  Tyrol,"  said  An- 
thony Wallner,  "  to  ascertain  the  wishes  and  intentions  of  the 
emperor  and  his  government,  prefer  our  bitter  complaints, 
and  declare  the  firm  resolution  of  the  Tyrolese  to  shrink  from 
no  sacrifice  in  order  to  be  reunited  with  Austria  and  to  recon- 
quer our  ancient  rights  and  liberties." 

"But  we  need  assistance  for  this  purpose,"  added  Joseph 
Speckbacher,  "  speedy  and  vigorous  assistance  ;  above  all,  we 
need  troops,  money,  ammunition,  and  supplies.  Will  Austria 
give  them  to  us  ?  " 

"She  will,"  said  the  archduke.  "She  will  send  you  a  corps 
d'arm^e,  money,  ammunition,  and  supplies.  Only  you  must 
be  ready  and  prepared  to  rise  as  one  man  when  we  give  you 
the  signal  of  insurrection." 

"  We  are  ready ! "  exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer,  nodding  joy- 
ously. "  But  you  must  not  delay  the  signal  very  long,  for 
delays  are  highly  dangerous  under  the  present  circumstances. 
We  and  our  friends  have  prepared  the  insurrection,  and  it  is 
as  if  a  large  torrent  of  fire  were  flowing  secretly  under  the 
surface  of  the  Tyrol  ;  if  some  shrewd  Bavarian  should  scratch 
away  some  of  the  earth,  he  would  discover  the  fire,  fetch 
water,  and  extinguish  the  flames,  before  the  Austrians  reach 
the  country  and  prevent  him  from  so  doing.  A  secret  known 
to  a  great  many  is  seldom  well  kept  ;  it  is,  as  it  were,  a  ripe 
fruit  which  must  fall  from  the  tree,  even  though  it  should  hit 
and  crush  the  head  of  the  owner  of  the  tree." 


68  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Yes,  what  is  to  be  done  must  be  done  soon,"  said  Anthony 
Wallner.  "The  men  of  Passeyr,  Meran,  Mays,  and  Algund, 
are  ready,  and  have  entered  into  a  secret  league  with  the 
whole  valley  of  the  Inn.  The  district  of  the  Adige,  too,  has 
joined  us,  and  the  German  and  Italian  Tyrolese,  who  formerly 
never  liked  each  other,  have  now  agreed  to  stand  shoulder  to 
shoulder  and  rise  on  one  day  and  as  one  man,  in  order  to  drive 
the  Bavarians  and  French  from  their  mountains." 

"  We  are  waiting  only  for  Austria  to  give  the  signal ;  pray 
do  not  keep  us  waiting  too  long,  for  we  men  of  the  Lower  Inn- 
thai,  too,  are  all  ready  and  armed.  An  enormous  worm  of 
insurrection,  as  it  were,  is  creeping  through  the  Lower  Inn 
valley,  and  the  worm  has  four  heads,  which  look  toward  all 
quarters  of  the  world.  One  head  is  Rupert  Wiritersteller,  of 
Kirchdorf ;  the  second  is  Jacob  Sieberer,  of  Thiersen ;  the  third 
is  Antony  Aschbacher,  of  Achenthal  ;  and  the  fourth  is  I, 
Joseph  Speckbacher,  of  Kufstein." 

"  In  the  Puster  valley,  too,  a  storm  is  brewing,  and  all  are 
ready  and  impatient  to  rise  in  insurrection,"  said  Hofer. 
"Therefore,  dear  brother  of  our  emperor,  give  us  good  news, 
that  we  may  take  it  home  to  the  men  of  the  Tyrol,  for  their 
hearts  are  longing  and  crying  for  their  sovereign  the  emperor." 

"  And  the  emperor,  on  his  part,  is  longing  for  his  Tyro- 
lese," said  the  archduke.  "The  time  has  come  when  that 
which  belongs  together  is  to  be  reunited.  Let  us  consult 
and  deliberate,  then,  my  friends,  what  we  should  do  in  order 
to  attain  our  great  object,  and  reunite  the  Tyrolese  with  their 
emperor." 

"  Yes,  let  us  consult,"  said  Hofer,  solemnly  ;  "  and  let  us 
pray  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  to  enlighten  our  minds." 

He  raised  the  crucifix  from  his  breast  to  his  face  and  bent 
over  it,  muttering  a  prayer. 

"  Now  I  am  ready,"  he  said,  slowly  dropping  the  crucifix  ; 
"  let  us  deliberate.  But  I  tell  you  beforehand,  I  am  no  mili- 
tary hero,  nor  a  wise  man  in  council.  I  am  resolved  to  do  all 
that  is  necessary  to  deliver  my  dear  Tyrol  from  the  enemy, 
and  to  strike  and  fire  at  the  Bavarians  and  French  until  they 
run  away  terror-stricken,  and  restore  us  to  our  dear  Emperor 
Francis.  But  I  am  unversed  in  negotiations  and  devising 


ANDREAS  MOFER.  69 

shrewd  tricks  and  stratagems.  I  am  only  a  plain  peasant, 
who  has  a  great  deal  of  love  and  fidelity  in  his  heart,  but  only 
few  thoughts  in  his  head.  Baron  von  Hormayr  and  the  arch- 
duke may  do  the  thinking  for  me.  They  shall  be  the  head, 
and  I  the  arm  and  heart.  Speckbacber  and  Wallner  yonder 
have  good  heads  too,  though  I  do  not  wish  to  say  that  their 
hearts  are  not  also  in  the  right  place  ;  on  the  contrary,  I  know 
that  they  are.  Let  us  consult,  then,  and  bear  in  mind  that 
God  hears  us,  and  that  the  Tyrolese  are  waiting  for  us." 

"You  are  an  excellent  man.  Andy,"  exclaimed  John,  hold- 
ing out  his  hand  to  Hofer  with  a  tender  glance — "  a  childlike 
soul,  full  of  love,  fidelity,  and  tenderness  ;  and,  in  gazing  at 
you,  it  seems  as  if  the  whole  dear  Tyrol,  with  its  mountains 
and  valleys,  its  Alpine  huts  and  chapels,  its  merry  singers  and 
pious  prayers,  were  present  before  me.  Come,  then,  Andy, 
and  you  other  dear  friends,  come,  let  us  be  seated  and  hold  a 
council  of  war." 

They  seated  themselves  around  the  table  standing  in  the 
middle  of  the  room. 

Day  was  already  dawning,  the  candles  had  burned  down 
very  low,  the  streets  began  to  become  lively,  and  still  the 
Tyrolese  remained  in  the  archduke's  cabinet,  their  faces  glow- 
ing with  defiance  and  resolution,  and  their  eyes  flashing  with 
boldness  and  enthusiasm.  For  every  thing  was  settled  and 
decided  now  ;  each  of  them  had  received  his  instructions  and 
been  informed  of  the  part  which  he  was  to  play  in  the  strug- 
gle. War  with  the  Bavarians  and  French,  and  liberty  for  the 
Tyrol,  was  the  battle-cry  and  goal. 

"  The  plan  is  settled,  then,"  said  the  Archduke  John,  nod- 
ding kindly  to  the  Tyrolese.  "  Eleven  points,  especially,  have 
been  agreed  upon,  after  mature  deliberation  ;  and  it  would  be 
good  for  us  to  repeat  them  briefly." 

"  Let  us  do  so,"  said  Andreas  Hofer.  "  First,  then  :  The 
Tyrolese  will  rise  against  the  Bavarians,  in  order  to  be  re- 
united with  Austria.  We  shall  enlist  as  many  soldiers  for 
the  insurgent  army  as  possible,  and  try  to  make  all  Tyrolese 
our  fellow-conspirators.  They  will  meet  on  Sundays  at  the 
taverns,  and  the  innkeepers  in  the  valleys  and  mountains  are 
the  leaders  of  the  conspiracy  ;  they  will  call  the  meetings  and 


70  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

facilitate  the  intercourse  of  the  conspirators  with  each  other. 
If  it  please  God,  the  insurrection  will  break  out  on  the  9th  of 
April,  when  the  Austrian  troops  will  cross  the  frontier  of  the 
Tyrol  and  hasten  to  our  assistance.  This  is  the  best  point, 
and  God  grant  that  it  may  be  well  executed ! " 

"The  second  point,"  said  Joseph  Speckbacher,  *'is  as  fol- 
lows :  No  written  communication  whatever  shall  be  per- 
mitted among  the  conspirators,  and  those  who  violate  this 
order  shall  be  severely  punished.  The  secret  messages  will  be 
carried  by  reliable  and  well-tried  messengers  from  court-house 
to  court-house  and  village  to  village.  To  this  the  third  point 
adds  the  following  :  The  oldest  men  in  the  villages  will 
establish  secret  tribunals  to  try  and  punish  those  whom  fear, 
self-interest,  or  bribes  may  induce  to  turn  traitors.  The  fami- 
lies of  suspicious  persons,  and  those  who  betray  our  secrets 
from  weakness  or  in  a  state  of  intoxication,  must  be  closely 
watched,  and  they  themselves  will  be  sent  to  distant  Alpine 
huts  and  into  the  mountain  fastnesses,  where  they  will  be 
kept  in  close  confinement." 

"Fourth,"  said  Anthony  Wallner :  "Every  innkeeper 
must  strive  to  amass  provisions,  forage,  wine,  and  ammuni- 
tion ;  for  the  inns  in  the  mountains  are,  as  it  were,  small 
fortresses  for  the  Tyrolese,  and  the  enemy  can  reach  them 
only  slowly  and  after  surmounting  a  great  many  difficulties. 
Besides,  the  innkeepers  must  arrange  target-shootings  every 
Sunday,  that  the  men  from  the  neighborhood  may  assemble 
at  their  houses  and  join  the  great  league  of  the  defenders  of 
the  country.  The  innkeepers  at  very  important  places  will 
receive  for  these  purposes  bills  of  exchange  on  Salzburg,  Kla- 
genfurth,  and  Trieste;  and  each  of  us  three,  Hofer,  Speck- 
bacher, and  I,  will  take  home  with  us  one  hundred  and  twenty 
ducats  to  be  distributed  among  the  innkeepers.  Fifth  :  The 
intercourse  between  the  mountain  districts,  on  one  side,  and 
the  plains  and  towns,  on  the  other,  must  henceforth  become 
rarer  and  rarer  till  the  hour  of  the  outbreak.  But  the  moun- 
taineers must  send  out,  at  intervals  of  four  days,  spies  to  ascer- 
tain the  state  of  affairs  in  other  parts  of  the  country." 

"  Sixth,"  exclaimed  the  Archduke  John,  with  beaming  eyes  : 
"On  the  day  when  the  insurrection  is  to  break  out,  Field- 


ANDREAS   HOFER.  71 

Marshal  Jellachich  will  arrive  in  front  of  Innspruck.  and  the 
vanguard  of  Field-Marshal  Chasteler  will  march  through  the 
Puster  valley  to  the  heights  of  Schwabs  and  Elbach  toward 
Brixen,  and  advance  the  head  of  his  column  beyond  the  Bren- 
ner as  far  as  Botzen.  Seventh  :  All  the  forces  of  the  enemy 
moving  toward  Germany  must  be  chased  between  these  two 
columns  of  the  Austrians  and  pursued  and  fired  at  incessantly 
by  the  mountaineers ;  they  must  be  prevented  night  and  day 
from  obtaining  rest  and  food  ;  the  best  marksmen  must  pick 
off  their  officers  and  blow  up  their  am  munition- wagons.  The 
Tyrolese  should  chase  the  Bavarians  and  the  French  in  this 
manner  from  Botzen  to  Brixen,  up  the  Brenner,  and  thence 
down  to  Trent.  Now,  friend  Hormayr,  repeat  the  remaining 
four  points." 

"  The  eighth  point  is  :  The  removal  of  the  Bavarian  treas- 
ure must  be  prevented  by  all  means.  Ninth :  The  Tyrolese 
living  on  the  rivers  must  prevent  the  enemy  by  all  means 
from  destroying  the  bridges  and  roads,  so  that  the  Austrians 
may  be  able  to  succor  them  more  rapidly  ;  but  they  must  also 
hold  men  and  tools  in  readiness,  that,  after  the  Austrians  have 
arrived,  they  may  destroy  the  bridges  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy, 
and  render  the  roads  impassable,  by  obstructing  them  with 
piles  of  wood  and  rocks.  Tenth  :  The  Tyrolese  will  try  cau- 
tiously to  bring  about  an  understanding  with  Switzerland,  and 
establish  connections  with  the  Lower  and  Upper  Engadine, 
Chur.  Appenzell,  and  St.  Gall ;  for  thence  will  come  the  Eng- 
lish agents  who  will  convey  arms  and  money  to  the  Tyrolese. 
Eleventh—" 

"  Ah,  let  me  state  the  eleventh  point,"  exclaimed  Joseph 
Speckbacher,  with  flashing  eyes.  "I  intend  to  take  part  in 
carrying  out  this  point  of  the  programme.  It  is,  to  take  the 
fortress  of  Kufstein  on  the  frontier  by  a  nocturnal  coup  de 
main.  Field-Marshal  Jellachich  will  move  several  companies 
of  riflemen  as  close  up  to  the  fortress  as  possible,  and  Jacob 
Sieberer  and  Joseph  Speckbacher,  who  will  beforehand  enlist 
assistants  in  the  town  and  spy  out  every  thing,  will  join  them. 
The  capture  of  Kufstein  is  to  commence  the  glorious  struggle  ; 
it  is  to  be  the  first  hymn  of  liberty  which  the  Tyrolese  will 
send  up  to  heaven  like  a  lark  in  spring,  and  by  which  they 


72  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

will  bless  and  praise  the  good  God.  The  eleventh  j~nd  last 
point  is  Kufstein.  God  protect  us  in  carrying  out  these  eleven 
points  ! "  * 

''  Amen  ! "  exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer,  raising  his  crucifix 
and  pressing  it  to  his  lips.  "  We  have,  then,  resolved  here  in 
council  with  our  Archduke  John,  and  I  hope  also  in  council 
with  the  good  God  above,  that  the  Tyrol  is  to  be  restored  to 
its  beloved  imperial  house.  The  work  is  to  begin  on  the  9th 
of  April,  and  we  must  be  ready  to  rise  on  that  day.  On  the 
9th  of  April  the  Austrians  are  to  cross  the  frontier,  and  on  the 
previous  evening  they  will  inform  us  by  firing  off  three  rock- 
ets that  they  are  at  hand.  At  the  same  time  bale-fires  will  be 
lighted  on  a  hundred  hills,  and  on  the  following  morning  we 
shall  throw  large  quantities  of  blood,  flour,  or  charcoal,  into 
our  mountain-torrents,  that  their  blood-red,  flour-white,  or 
coal-black  waters,  flowing  into  and  out  of  the  country,  may 
proclaim  to  the  people  that  the  time  has  come  when  all  must 
rise,  rifle  in  hand,  to  conquer  or  die  for  the  dear  Tyrol  and  the 
good  Emperor  Francis." 

"  And  I,  too,  am  ready  to  conquer  or  die  for  the  Tyrol  and 
the  emperor,  and  so  is  the  corps  whose  commander  I  am,"  ex- 
claimed the  archduke  enthusiastically.  "  The  emperor,  my 
gracious  master,  intends  to  intrust  me  with  the  command  of 
the  army  which  is  to  fight  with  and  for  the  Tyrol,  which  will 
check  the  advance  of  the  enemy  approaching  the  Tyrol  from 
the  Italian  frontier,  and  will  second  and  strengthen  the  insur- 
rection of  the  Tyrolese.  Now,  then,  my  friends  and  comrades 
let  us  prepare  the  great  work  bravely,  prudently,  and  carefully. 
Collect  your  forces,  as  I  shall  collect  mine  ;  make  all  your 
dispositions,  and  exhort  all  to  behave  as  true  sons  of  the  Tyrol. 
Above  all  things,  be  cautious.  Keep  in  check  not  only  your 
tongues  but  your  faces,  especially  here  in  Vienna.  For  if  the 
Bavarian  spies  here  ferret  out  that  Andreas  Hofer,  Speck- 
bacher,  and  Wallner  are  in  Vienna,  and  that  I  have  had  an 
interview  with  them,  their  keen  noses  will  scent  at  once  what 

*  These  eleven  points  were  settled  in  this  manner  at  Vienna  by  the  dele- 
gates of  the  Tyrolese,  the  Archduke  John,  and  Baron  von  Horraayr,  and 
noted  down  by  the  latter. — See  Hormayr,  "  Geschichte  Andreas  Hofer's,"  voL 
L,  p.  193  et  seq. 


ANDREAS   UOFER.  73 

is  going  on,  and  they  will  send,  even  before  we  reach  the 
Tyrol,  so  many  Bavarian  and  French  soldiers  into  your  coun- 
try, that  you  will  be  tied  hand  and  foot,  and  cannot  raise  your 
arms  on  the  9th  of  April  to  seize  your  rifles.  Therefore,  I 
repeat  it,  keep  your  faces  in  check,  and  do  not  allow  your- 
selves to  be  seen  in  the  streets  of  Vienna  in  the  daytime. 
Your  beard,  Andy,  especially  is  a  treacherous  thing,  and  it 
would  really  be  best  for  the  Bai-bone  to  shave  off  his  long 
mourning-flag. " 

Andreas  Hofer  seized  his  beard  with  both  his  hands,  almost 
in  terror,  and  drew  it  caressingly  through  his  fingers. 

u  No,"  he  said,  "  my  friends  and  countrymen  know  me  by 
my  beard,  and  the  Barbone  is  a  welcome  guest  in  the  Italian 
Tyrol.  They  would  not  recognize  me  if  I  should  appear 
among  them  with  a  smooth  chin  :  and  they  would  doubt  if  it 
was  Andreas  Hofer  who  talked  with  them  about  the  great 
conspiracy  and  insurrection  in  case  they  did  not  see  his  black 
beard." 

"No,  archduke,"  said  Speckbacher,  smiling  and  winking, 
"you  must  not  object  to  our  Andy's  beard,  for  it  is  the  flag 
round  which  the  Tyrolese  will  rally,  and  with  which  the  Tyrol 
will  adorn  itself  ou  the  day  of  insurrection,  as  they  put  on 
their  best  clothes  on  the  day  of  Assumption.  Moreover,  An- 
dreas Hofer  must  not  be  ungrateful  ;  and  he  would  be  un- 
grateful if  he  should  cut  off  his  beard  and  throw  it  away,  for 
his  beard  gained  him  one  day  a  couple  of  fat  oxen." 

"  Is  that  true,  Andy  ? "  asked  John,  laughing. 

"  It  is,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  gravely.  "  My  beard  did  gain 
me  two  oxen.  It  happened  as  follows,  archduke  :  I  was  quite 
a  yoang  man  yet,  and  had  married  my  wife,  Anna  Gertrude 
Ladurner,  only  a  year  before.  I  was  very  fond  of  my  little 
wife,  and  did  not  like  to  sit  for  hours  in  the  tavern,  as  I  had 
done  heretofore.  I  stayed  at  home  often  enough  instead  of 
attending  to  my  business,  and  going  down  to  Italy  or  Germany 
to  carry  on  my  traffic  in  corn,  wine,  horses,  and  oxen,  by  which 
I  had  made  a  great  deal  of  money.  My  friends  sneered  at  my 
staying  so  much  at  home,  and  said  :  '  Andy  Hofer,  the  Sand- 
wirth,  is  a  henpecked  husband,  and  his  wife  is  master  of  the 
house.'  This  was  very  disagreeable  to  me,  for,  although  I  love 
6 


74  ANDREAS   HOFEB. 

my  Anna  Gertrude  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  I  have  always 
been  the  master  ;  and  she  has  been  obedient  to  me,  as  the  Bible 
says  it  should  be  between  husband  and  wife.  Well,  one  day  I 
sat  at  home  with  a  few  friends;  we  were  drinking  wine  in  the 
bar-room.  Suddenly  there  entered  the  room  an  old  beggar 
with  a  tremendous  beard  reaching  down  to  his  girdle.  I 
laugh  at  the  beard  and  rejoice  over  its  enormous  length.  One 
of  my  friends,  Anthony  Waidlinger,  the  rich  Amselwirth,  asks 
me  :  'Well,  Andy,  would  you  like  to  wear  as  long  a  beard  as 
that  ? '  '  Why  not  ? '  I  reply  merrily.  '  Ah,'  exclaims  An- 
thony, laughing,  '  you  must  not  talk  so  saucily.  You  must  not 
wear  so  long  a  beard.  Your  wife  will  not  permit  it,  Andy  ! ' 
This  makes  me  very  angry  ;  I  start  up,  and  hardly  know  what 
I  am  doing.  'What  !'  I  cry,  '  my  wife  ?  She  must  obey  me 
whether  she  likes  it  or  not.  What  will  you  bet  I  will  not 
shave  my  beard  for  a  whole  year  ? '  'I  will  bet  you  two  oxen,' 
says  Anthony  ;  '  but  let  me  warn  you,  Andy,  you  will  lose  the 
oxen  ;  for  I  stick  to  it,  your  wife  will  never  permit  you  to  be- 
come the  laughing-stock  of  tbe  children  by  appearing  in  the 
streets  with  such  a  lion's  mane.  Therefore  consider  the  mat- 
ter well,  Andy,  for  there  is  time  yet.  Admit  that  you  will  not 
win  the  bet,  for  two  oxen  are  at  stake  ! '  'I  have  already  con- 
sidered everything,'  I  say  ;  '  and  as  for  the  two  oxen,  they  will 
be  just  what  I  want.  A  year  hence  you  will  bring  them  to 
me,  Anthony  Waidlinger.'  And  this  prediction  was  fulfilled. 
I  did  not  shave  my  beard,  and  Anna  Gertrude,  my  wife,  re- 
joiced at  her  Andy's  beard  instead  of  being  angry  at  it,  and 
thought  it  made  her  husband  look  a  great  deal  better.  When 
the  year  was  up,  Anthony  Waidlinger  drove  his  two  oxen 
with  a  sullen  air  into  my  stable,  and  said  :  '  Now  you  may  cut 
off  your  fur  and  have  a  pillow  made  from  it  for  your  wife.' 
'  I  need  not  cut  off  my  beard  for  that  purpose,'  I  replied  ;  '  it 
may  be  my  wife's  pillow  even  while  it  hangs  down  on  my 
breast.  For  she  is  a  good  and  dutiful  wife,  and  I  am  fondly 
attached  to  her.'  That,  archduke,  is  the  story  of  my  beard, 
which  I  have  worn  ever  since,  and  which  has  often  been  a  pil- 
low when  my  little  boy  and  my  three  girls  fell  asleep  on  my 
lap,  and  under  which  they  have  often  concealed  their  little 
heads  when  their  mother  was  looking  for  them.  You  will 


ANDREAS   HOFER.  75 

ask  me  no  more  to  cut  off  my  beard — the  pillow  and  plaything 
of  my  children." 

"No,  Andreas,"  said  the  archduke,  kindly,  "I  will  not. 
Wear  your  fine  beard  as  you  have  done  hitberto;  may  it  be, 
notwithstanding  its  black  color,  the  victorious  flag  round 
which  the  royal  Tyrolese  shall  rally  on  rising  for  their  lord 
and  emperor !  And  now,  farewell,  my  friends ;  it  is  dawning, 
and  it  is  time  for  us  to  repose  a  little.  Go  home,  therefore, 
and  what  remains  to  be  settled  you  may  talk  over  to-morrow 
with  Baron  von  Hormayr,  who  will  give  you  money  for  trav- 
elling expenses,  and  for  distribution  among  the  innkeepers. 
Day  after  to-morrow  you  will  set  out  for  home,  and  bring  to 
all  loyal  Tyrolese  the  joyful  news  that  war  will  break  out." 

"  Yes,  yes,  war  will  break  out ! "  exclaimed  the  three  Tyro- 
lese, exultingly. 

"  Hush,  for  God's  sake,  hush ! "  said  John,  laughing.  "  You 
must  keep  quiet,  and,  instead  of  doing  so,  you  shout  as  jubi- 
lantly as  though  you  were  standing  on  a  crest  of  the  Brenner, 
and  had  just  discovered  the  hiding-place  of  a  chamois.  Let 
me  therefore  tell  you  once  more  it  is  necessary  that  the  people 
of  Vienna  should  not  find  out  that  you  are  in  the  city.  Pledge 
me  your  word,  then,  that  you  will  not  go  into  the  street  to- 
morrow in  the  daytime,  nor  allow  any  one  to  see  you." 

"  We  pledge  you  our  word ! "  exclaimed  the  Tyrolese,  with 
one  accord ;  "  we  will  not  appear  in  the  street  to-morrow  in 
the  daytime,  and  day  after  to-morrow  we  shall  set  out." 

"  Yes,  we  shall  set  out  then,"  repeated  Andreas  Hofer,  "  and 
return  to  our  mountains  and  friends,  and  wait  patiently  and 
faithfully  until  the  day  when  we  shall  see  rising  to  the  sky 
the  signal  which  is  to  tell  us  that  our  dear  Archduke  John  sends 
us  his  soldiers  to  assist  us  in  delivering  our  country  from  the 
enemy,  and  restoring  it,  with  our  mountains,  our  love,  and 
our  loyalty,  to  our  dear  Emperor  Francis.  God  grant  that  we 
may  succeed  in  so  doing,  and  may  the  Holy  Virgin  pray  for  us 
all,  and  restore  the  Tyrol  to  the  emperor! " 


76  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

ANDREAS  HOFER  AT  THE  THEATRE. 

COUNT  STADION,  the  minister  of  foreign  aflp airs,  was  pacing 
his  cabinet  with  a  quick  step  and  an  anxious  expression  of 
countenance.  At  times  he  stood  still,  and,  bending  his  head 
toward  the  door,  seemed  to  listen  intently  for  some  sound ;  all 
remaining  silent  outside,  he  commenced  again  striding  up  and 
down,  and  whenever  he  approached  the  clock  on  the  mantel- 
piece he  cast  an  anxious  glance  on  it. 

"  I  am  afraid  Hormayr  was  not  at  home,"  he  murmured 
moodily  to  himself ;  "  his  servants  did  not  know  where  he 
was,  and  therefore  the  mischief  cannot  be  stopped." 

He  drew  a  golden  snuff-box  from  his  pocket  and  took  a 
large  pinch  from  it.  "I  said  at  the  very  outset,"  he  mur- 
mured, *'  that  we  ought  to  keep  aloof  from  these  stupid  peas- 
ants, who  will  only  involve  us  in  trouble  and  mischief.  But 
those  gentlemen  would  not  listen  to  me,  and —  Really,  I  be- 
lieve I  hear  footsteps  in  the  anteroom.  Yes,  yes,  somebody 
is  coming!" 

Count  Stadion  was  not  mistaken.  The  door  opened,  and  a 
footman  announced,  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Baron  von  Hormayr  !  " 

"  Let  him  come  in,  let  him  come  in,  quick ! "  said  Count 
Stadion,  waving  his  hand  impatiently ;  and  when  Hormayr 
appeared  on  the  threshold  of  the  door,  he  hastily  went  to  meet 
him. 

"  In  truth,  it  took  my  servants  a  good  while  to  find  you ! " 
exclaimed  the  minister,  angrily.  "I  have  been  waiting  for 
you  half  an  hour." 

"  I  was  at  the  Archduke  John's  rooms,  with  whom  I  had 
business  of  importance,  your  excellency,"  said  Hormayr, 
emphasizing  his  last  words.  "Moreover,  I  could  not  guess 
that  your  excellency  would  wish  to  grant  me  an  audience  at 
so  unusual  an  hour,  and  without  my  asking  for  it." 

"  At  so  unusual  an  hour ! "  cried  Count  Stadion,  putting 
one  pinch  of  snuff  after  another  into  his  nose.  "  Yes,  yes,  at 
so  unusual  an  hour  !  It  would  have  been  more  agreeable  to 


ANDREAS   UOFER   AT   THE   THEATRE.  77 

me,  too,  if  it  had  been  unnecessary  for  me  to  trouble  you  and 
myself.  But  it  is  your  own  fault.  You  do  not  keep  your 
word." 

u  Your  excellency  ! "  cried  Hormayr,  indignantly. 

"Bah!  it  is  true.  You  do  not  keep  your  word.  You 
promised  me  that  your  Tyrolese  should  not  show  themselves, 
lest  we  might  be  charged  with  fomenting  an  insurrection; 
and  it  was  necessary,  also,  to  prevent  the  Bavarians  from 
learning  prematurely  our  plans.  Can  you  deny  that  you 
promised  this  to  me  ? " 

li  No,  your  excellency,  I  do  not  deny  it  at  all." 

"Well,  your  Tyrolese  are  running  around  everywhere." 

"  Pardon  me,  your  excellency,  that  cannot  be  true.  You 
must  have  been  misinformed." 

"  What !  misinformed  ?  How  dare  you  say  so  to  my  face, 
sir  ?  Your  beardman,  or  bushman,  or  Sandwirth  Hofer  is  at 
the  Karnthnerthor  Theatre,  and  is  the  observed  of  all  ob- 
servers. I  saw  him  with  my  own  eyes;  and  that  was  the 
reason  why  I  left  the  theatre  and  sent  for  you."  * 

"  Your  excellency  saw  him  with  your  own  eyes !  Then,  of 
course,  it  must  be  true,  and  I  would  beg  leave  of  your  excel- 
lency to  go  immediately  to  the  theatre  and  take  him  to  his 
hotel." 

"  That  was  just  what  I  wished  to  ask  you  to  do,  Baron  von 
Hormayr.  Make  haste  and  induce  this  bushman  to  leave 
Vienna  immediately." 

"  He  will  leave  the  capital  early  in  the  morning.  Your 
excellency  will  permit  me  now  to  withdraw." 

Baron  von  Hormayr  hastened  down  stairs,  left  the 
chancery  of  state,  and  crossed  the  Joseph's  Place.  On  reach- 
ing the  Karnthnerthor  Theatre,  he  bought  a  ticket  at  the  office 
and  entered  the  pit. 

"The  Marriage  of  Figaro,"  by  Mozart,  was  performed  at  the 
Karnthnerthor  Theatre  to-night,  and  this  favorite  opera  of  the 
Viennese  had  attracted  so  large  an  audience  that  not  a  seat 
was  vacant,  and  the  baron  had  to  elbow  his  way  with  no  little 
difficulty  through  the  crowd  filling  the  pit,  in  order  to  reach  a 

*  Count  Stadion's  own  words.— See  Hormayr's  "Andreas  Hofer,"  vol  i., 
p.  209. 


78  ANDREAS  HOFEB. 

point  where  he  might  be  able  to  see  every  part  of  the  house, 
and  discover  him  for  whose  sake  lie  had  come. 

At  length  he  had  succeeded  in  advancing  so  far  that,  lean- 
ing against  one  of  the  pillars  supporting  the  upper  tiers  of 
boxes,  he  was  able  to  survey  the  lower  part  of  the  house.  But 
all  faces  were  averted  from  it,  all  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  stage. 
The  opera  had  just  reached  the  scene  where  Count  Almaviva 
lifts  the  carpet  from  the  chair  and  finds  Cherubino  under  it. 
A  loud  outburst  of  laughter  resounded  from  the  pit  to  the  upper 
gallery.  But  in  the  midst  of  the  din,  a  loud  and  angry  voice 
exclaimed  :  ''  Ah,  you  young  good-for-nothing,  if  I  had  you 
here  I  would  show  you  how  to  behave  !  "  And  a  threatening 
fist  and  vigorous  arm  was  raised  in  the  midst  of  the  orchestra- 
stalls. 

"  Good  heavens  !  that  is  really  Andreas  Hofer,"  murmured 
Baron  von  Hormayr,  concealing  himself  anxiously  behind 
the  pillar.  A  renewed  shout  of  laughter  greeted  Hofer's 
words,  and  all  eyes  turned  toward  the  side  where  they  had 
been  uttered.  And  there  sat  the  good  Andreas  Hofer,  in  his 
handsome  national  costume,  with  his  long  black  beard,  and  his 
florid,  kind-hearted  face.  There  he  sat,  quite  regardless  of  the 
gaze  which  the  audience  fixed  upon  him,  utterly  unaware  of 
the  fact  that  he  was  the  observed  of  all  observers,  and  quite 
engrossed  in  looking  at  the  stage,  where  proceeded  the  well- 
known  scene  between  Cherubino,  the  count,  and  Figaro.  He 
followed  the  progress  of  the  action  with  rapt  attention,  and 
when  Cherubino  tried  to  prove  his  innocence  by  all  sorts  of 
plausible  and  improbable  falsehoods,  Hofer's  brow  became 
clouded.  He  averted  his  eyes  from  the  stage,  and  turned  to 
his  neighbor.  "Why,"  he  said,  loudly  and  indignantly, 
"that  boy  is  as  great  a  liar  as  though  he  were  Bonaparte 
himself  ! " 

Now  the  merriment  of  the  audience  knew  no  longer  any 
bounds.  They  applauded,  they  shouted,  "Bravo!  bravo!" 
They  forgot  the  scene  on  the  stage  entirely,  and  devoted  their 
exclusive  attention  to  the  queer,  bearded  stranger  in  the  or- 
chestra-stall, on  whom  all  eyes  and  opera  glasses  were  fixed. 

Baron  von  Hormayr  behind  his  pillar  wiped  the  perspira- 
tion from  his  forehead,  and  cast  furious  glances  on  Andreas 


ANDREAS  HOFER  AT  THE  THEATRE.        79 

Hofer,  who,  however,  was  utterly  unaware  of  his  presence, 
and  from  whose  breast,  protected  as  it  was  by  his  beard 
and  crucifix,  rebounded  all  such  glances  like  blunted  ar- 

i-OWS. 

The  actors,  who,  interrupted  by  the  unexpected  cheers  and 
the  incident  in  the  audience,  had  paused  a  few  minutes,  and 
had  themselves  hardly  been  able  to  refrain  from  bursting 
into  laughter,  now  continued  their  scene,  and  the  charms  of 
the  music  and  the  interesting  character  of  the  action  soon 
succeeded  again  in  riveting  the  attention  of  the  audience. 

Andreas  Hofer,  who  had  in  the  mean  time  relapsed  into 
his  silent  astonishment,  gazed  fixedly  upon  the  stage.  Baron 
von  Hormayr  left  his  place  quietly  and  walked  to  the  en- 
trance. He  slipped  a  florin  into  the  hand  of  the  doorkeeper, 
who  was  leaning  against  the  wall.  "  Say,"  he  whispered  to 
him  hastily,  "as  soon  as  the  curtain  drops,  go  to  the  giant 
with  the  long  beard,  who  sits  in  the  orchestra-stall  yonder, 
and  whose  words  amused  the  audience  just  now.  He  is  a 
cattle-dealer  from  Hungary,  and  I  must  see  him  at  once. 
Just  whisper  in  his  ear  that  his  countryman  with  the  wine 
and  horses  has  arrived,  and  it  is  necessary  he  should  come 
and  see  him  right  away. — Thank  God,  the  curtain  falls  ! 
Now  make  haste.  If  you  bring  the  cattle-dealer  with  you 
into  the  corridor,  I  will  give  you  another  florin." 

The  doorkeeper's  face  beamed  with  satisfaction  ;  he  el- 
bowed himself  courageously  through  the  crowd,  and  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  "cattle-dealer  from  Hungary,"  who  sat  ab- 
sorbed in  his  reflections,  with  his  head  bent  on  his  breast.  He 
touched  his  shoulder  softly  and  whispered  his  message  into 
his  ear. 

Andreas  Hofer  gave  a  start  and  stared  at  the  doorkeeper. 
"  What  countrymen  ? "  he  asked  ;  "  and  how  can  he  bring  to 
me  wine  and  horses  here  as — " 

"  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it,"  whispered  the  door- 
keeper ;  "  I  know  only  that  your  countryman  with  the  wine 
and  the  horses  is  waiting  for  you,  and  that  he  says  he  must 
see  you  right  away." 

"  Well,  then,  come,  conduct  me  to  him,"  said  Andreas,  ris- 
ing from  his  chair,  and  drawing  up  his  colossal  form  to  its 


80  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

full  height.  "  I  should  like  to  know  who  this  countryman 
is.  Lead  the  way,  sir  ;  I  will  follow  you." 

The  doorkeeper  retraced  his  steps  through  the  crowd  •, 
Andreas  Hofer  followed  him,  greeting  kindly  and  pleasantly 
in  all  directions,  and  pushing  aside  the  men  like  flies  when- 
ever they  stood  in  his  way. 

At  length  they  reached  the  door,  and  stepped  into  the  cor- 
ridor. Baron  von  Hormayr,  like  a  tiger  pouncing  upon  his 
prey,  rushed  upon  Andreas  Hofer,  seized  his  arm,  and  drew 
him  down  the  corridor  into  the  outer  hall,  which  was  so  de- 
serted and  silent  that  there  was  no  danger  of  their  conver- 
sation being  overheard  by  an  eavesdropper. 

Here  at  length  Hormayr  stood  still  and  dropped  the  arm 
of  Andreas  Hofer,  who  had  followed  him,  dumfounded  with 
astonishment,  and  glancing  around  as  if  looking  for  somebody 
else. 

'"  Andy,"  exclaimed  Hormayr,  vehemently,  "  what  am  I  to 
think  of  you  ?  The  Tyrolese  always  keep  their  promises,  and 
to  think  that  our  honest  Sandwirth  alone  should  not  do  so  ! 
You  pledged  me  your  word  that  you  would  conceal  your 
presence  here  in  Vienna  as  much  as  possible,  and  now  you 
are  running  about  the  city  in  your  national  costume  and  with 
your  bearded  face  to  hear  the  opera-trills  and  see  how  the 
ballet-dancers  stretch  their  legs  ! "  * 

"  Andreas  Hofer  never  breaks  his  word,"  said  Hofer, 
gravely.  "  I  promised  not  to  appear  in  the  streets  in  the  day- 
time, and  I  have  faithfully  kept  my  word.  I  stayed  at  home 
all  day,  and  it  was  only  after  nightfall  that  we  three  went  to- 
gether into  the  street.  Speckbacher  and  Wallner  went  to  the 
Archduke  John's  gunsmith,  Anthony  Steger,  to  take  leave  of 
him,  and  I  intended  to  go  to  St.  Stephen's  Cathedral  to  attend 
vespers.  But  I  am  a  stranger  in  the  city,  and  happened  to 
lose  my  way.  All  at  once  I  got  into  a  dense  crowd,  and 
thought  I  had  arrived  at  St.  Stephen's  Cathedral,  and  that  the 
crowd  consisted  of  pious  Christians  going  to  vespers  ;  hence, 
I  allowed  myself  to  be  drawn  along  into  the  door,  because  I 
thought  it  was  the  church." 

*  Hormayr's  own  words. — See  Hormayr's  "  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  L,  p. 
209. 


ANDREAS   HOFER   AT   THE   THEATRE.  gl 

"And  on  buying  a  ticket,  Andy,  you  supposed  you  pur- 
chased indulgence,  did  you  not  ?  " 

"  No,  I  did  not,"  said  Andreas  in  a  tone  of  embarrassment. 
"  But,  on  seeing  all  those  persons  step  to  the  office  and  get 
tickets,  I  thought  there  were  Christian  passion-plays  per- 
formed there,  as  at  Innspruck  in  Lent ;  and  on  hearing  the 
man  standing  before  me  shouting,  '  Ticket  for  an  orchestra- 
stall,'  I  shouted,  also, '  Ticket  for  an  orchestra-stall,'  and  threw 
a  florin  on  the  table.  Thereupon  they  handed  me  a  ticket, 
and  I  followed  the  others  into  the  hall.  The  performance 
commenced  almost  at  the  same  moment,  the  curtain  rose,  and 
the  actors  began  to  sing.  It  is  true,  it  is  not  a  passion-play, 
and  there  is  nothing  from  the  Bible  in  it ;  but  then  it  is  a  nice 
play.  I  believe  the  curtain  will  rise  again  immediately,  and 
it  is  time  for  me  to  return  to  my  seat.  But  I  should  like  to 
know  where  my  countryman  with  the  horses  and  wine  is.  He 
insisted  on  seeing  me,  sent  for  me,  and  does  not  come  now." 

u  But,  Andy,  do  you  not  yet  know  that  it  was  I  who  sent 
for  you  ? "  asked  Hormayr.  "  Why,  it  was  only  a  stratagem  of 
mine  to  get  the  Barbone  out  of  the  theatre  and  take  him  away 
from  here." 

"  But  why  do  you  want  to  take  me  away  from  here  ?  I 
tell  you  I  like  the  play  very  well,  and  have  never  seen  any 
thing  like  it.  It  is  true,  Cherubino,  the  boy,  is  an  arrant  liar, 
but  he  is  a  jolly  fellow,  and  I  do  not  want  him  to  come  to 
grief.  And  Figaro  is  a  sly  fox,  and  withal  a  brave  man.  I 
should  like  to  make  his  acquaintance  and  ask  him  if  he  really 
promised  old  Marielle  to  marry  her  ;  for  it  would  be  wrong  if 
he  did  not  keep  his  word  now,  and  refused  to  make  her  his 
wife  because  he  likes  the  young  woman  better  than  her.  If  I 
knew  where  he  lives,  I  would  go  to  him  this  very  night  and 
tell  him  what  he  ought  to  do." 

"  Oh,  you  foolish  old  child  of  Nature  !  what  you  saw  on 
the  stage  was  nothing  but  a  play.  Figaro  never  existed  ;  and 
even  though  he  did,  you  would  not  go  to  him,  but  accompany 
me  and  take  supper  with  me." 

"  I  am  sorry,"  said  Andreas,  gravely,  "  I  cannot  do  so  ;  for, 
in  the  first  place,  I  must  stay  here  and  wait  for  the  country- 
man who  has  arrived  here  with  the  horses  and  wine." 


82  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Jesus  Maria  1  what  do  you  say  ?  The  countryman  ?  Did 
I  not  tell  you  that  it  is  I,  Andy  ? " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  had  already  forgotten  it.  But,  second,  I  can- 
not go  because  I  must  see  the  remainder  of  the  play.  Let 
me,  therefore,  return  to  my  seat,  for  I  paid  for  the  whole  per- 
formance :  I  believe  1  have  already  missed  a  great  deal  ;  but 
they  will  assuredly  not  return  to  me  at  the  office  a  penny  for 
what  I  did  not  hear."  * 

"  They  will  not,  and  shall  not  either,"  cried  Hormayr.  an- 
grily. "  You  will  not  return  to  your  seat,  Andy,  but  go  and 
take  supper  with  me.  For  you  know,  my  dear  fellow,  that 
you  have  come  to  Vienna,  not  to  go  to  the  theatre,  but  to  ask 
the  dear  Archduke  John's  assistance  and  succor  for  the  beloved 
Tyrol,  and  inquire  of  the  emperor  if  he  will  not  aid  his  loyal 
Tyrolese  in  their  attempt  to  become  his  subjects  once  more. 
And  the  emperor  and  the  archduke  will  help  you  ;  they  prom- 
ise to  send  soldiers  and  guns  in  time  to  the  Tyrol.  But,  in 
return,  you  must  do  what  the  archduke  asked  you  to  do  ;  you 
must  carefully  conceal  yourself,  Andy,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  Bavarians  from  learning  of  your  trip  to  Vienna  ;  other- 
wise they  would  arrest  you  and  your  friends  after  your  return 
to  the  Tyrol.  Hence  you  must  not  return  to  your  seat,  where 
so  many  persons  would  see  you,  and  unfortunately  have  seen 
you  already." 

"  Well,  if  it  must  be  so,  let  us  go,  sir,"  sighed  Andreas. 
"  But  just  listen  how  they  are  singing,  shouting,  and  cheering 
inside  !  Jesus  Maria  !  Figaro.  I  believe,  will  have  to  marry 
old  Marielle  after  all,  and  give  up  pretty  little  Susan  ne.  Ah, 
my  God  !  she  will  die  heart-broken,  for  she  loves  him  so 
dearly.  Pray,  sir,  let  me  go  in  once  more,  that  I  may  see 
whether  or  not  he  must  marry  old  Marielle." 

"No,  Andy,"  said  Hormayr,  smiling,  "you  need  not  be  un- 
easy ;  Figaro  will  not  marry  old  Marielle,  for  she  is  his  own 
mother." 

"What !"  cried  Andreas,  in  dismay  ;  "  she  his  mother,  and 
he  has  promised  to  marry  her  ?  That  is  most  sinful  and  in- 
famous !  No  good  Christian  should  listen  to  such  things. 
Come  along,  sir.  I  do  not  want  to  hear  another  word  of  it. 

*  Hofer's  own  words. — See  Hormayr,  "  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  i.,  p.  310. 


CONSECRATION   OF   THE   FLAGS,  AND   FAREWELL.        83 

Good  heavens  !  what  will  Anna  Gertrude  say  when  I  tell  her 
what  I  have  seen  here,  and  that  there  are  here  in  Vienna  men 
infamous  enough  to  promise  to  marry  their  mothers  ? " 

"  But  they  never  do  so  in  reality,  Andy,  but  only  on  the 
stage.  Otherwise  the  police  would  be  after  them  at  once. 
For  the  emperor  is  a  very  pious  and  virtuous  gentleman,  and 
he  does  not  permit  any  infractions  of  the  sacred  laws  of  God 
and  the  Church  in  his  dominions." 

''  Yes,  the  emperor  is  a  very  pious  and  virtuous  gentleman," 
exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer,  enthusiastically,  "  and  that  is  the 
reason  why  the  Tyrolese  love  him  and  wish  to  be  again  his 
subjects  and  children.  Come,  I  will  go  home  with  you.  I  do 
not  want  to  hear  any  more  of  the  theatrical  nonsense.  Let 
us  speak  of  our  emperor  and  our  dear  Archduke  John.  God 
grant  that  we  may  soon  be  able  to  say  he  is  our  emperor 
again,  and  the  archduke  is  our  John,  and  his  Tyrolese  are 
again  his  subjects,  because  they  fought  well  for  their  liberty, 
and  because  God  blessed  their  efforts  and  crowned  them  with 
victory.  Come,  we  will  go  home,  and  to-morrow  I  shall  re- 
turn to  the  Tyrol,  to  my  wife  and  children,  and  mountain  and 
valley  shall  know  that  the  time  has  come,  and  that  we  shall 
become  Austrians  again.  May  the  Holy  Virgin  protect  us 
and  grant  us  a  safe  return  ;  may  she  prevent  the  Bavarians 
from  waylaying  us  and  frustrating  our  great  and  noble  pur- 
pose I"* 


CHAPTER  VHI. 

CONSECRATION  OF  THE  FLAGS,  AND  FAREWELL. 

THE  die  was  cast,  then.  The  war  with  France  was  to  break 
out  again.  There  was  to  be  no  more  procrastination  and  hesi- 
tation. The  time  for  action  was  at  hand. 

*  The  delegates  of  the  Tyrolese  left  Vienna  on  the  following  morning; 
their  presence  there,  however,  had  been  reported  to  the  Bavarian  officers,  who, 
during  their  homeward  journey,  almost  succeeded  in  arresting  them.  John 
von  Gratf,  a  banker  of  Botzen,  was  apprised  of  their  arrival  in  Vienna  by  his 
correspondent  in  that  city  and  informed  the  commissary-general  at  Brixen 


84  ANDREAS   nOFER. 

Already  the  French  ambassador,  Andreossi,  had  left  Vien 
na,  and  all  the  members  of  the  legation  had  followed  him. 
Already  Clement  Count  Metternich  had  arrived  at  Vienna  T 
but  he  had  not  left  Paris  as  Count  Andreossi  had  left  Vienna, 
quietly  and  unmolested,  but  Napoleon  had  caused  him  to  be 
escorted  to  the  French  frontier  by  a  detachment  of  gens 
d'armes. 

And  to-day,  on  the  9th  of  March,  Austria  was  to  proclaim 
to  all  Germany,  by  means  of  a  public  festival,  that  she  was  re- 
solved to  renew  the  struggle  with  France  and  risk  once  more 
the  blood  of  her  people  and  the  existence  of  her  imperial  dy- 
nasty in  order  to  deliver  Germany  from  the  usurper  who  was 
intent  on  crushing  in  his  iron  hands  the  liberty  and  independ- 
ence of  the  German  nation. 

A  solemn  ceremony  was  to  take  place  to-day  on  the  Glacis 
of  Vienna.  The  flags  of  the  militia  were  to  be  consecrated  by 
the  Archbishop  of  Vienna,  and  the  whole  imperial  family  was 
to  be  present  at  the  solemnity.  Hence,  all  Vienna  presented 
a  festive  appearance  ;  all  stores  were  closed,  and  no  one  was 
seen  following  his  every-day  avocations.  The  Viennese  had 
made  a  holiday  ;  no  one  would  toil  for  his  daily  bread  ;  all 
wished  to  refresh  themselves  only  with  mental  food,  and  greet 
with  their  glances  and  acclamations  the  noble  men  who  were 
to  take  the  field  for  the  salvation  of  the  fatherland. 

The  people  were  surging  in  dense  masses  toward  the  glacis, 
rushing  with  irresistible  impetuosity  into  the  empty  ditches, 
and  climbing  the  trees  on  their  edges,  or  gaining  some  other 
standpoint  whence  they  could  survey  the  solemnity  which 
was  to  take  place  on  the  broad  promenade  of  the  glacis.  On 
the  large  rondel  of  the  glacis  had  been  erected  a  tribune  whose 
golden-broidered  velvet  canopy  was  surmounted  by  a  very 
large  imperial  crown ;  four  golden  double-headed  eagles 
adorned  the  four  corners  of  the  canopy,  and  held  in  their 
beaks  the  colors  of  Austria  and  Hungary.  Under  the  canopy 
stood  gilt  arm-chairs,  with  cushions  of  purple  velvet.  This 
was  the  tribune  destined  for  the  emperor  and  his  family  ; 

of  what  he  had  learned.  A  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  the  three  delegates 
was  issued,  but  they  escaped  in  time  into  the  mountains. — Honnayr,  vol.  i,, 
p.  191. 


CONSECRATION   OF   THE   FLAGS,  AND   FAREWELL.        85 

all  eyes  were  riveted  upon  it,  and  all  hearts  longed  to  greet 
the  sovereign,  and  thank  him  for  the  proud  happiness  of  this 
hour. 

Further  on  rose  other  and  no  less  splendidly  decorated 
tribunes,  the  seats  of  which  had  been  sold  at  enormous  rates 
to  the  aristocracy  and  wealthy  citizens  of  Vienna  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  militia  ;  and  thousands  had  found  seats  on  the  trees 
surrounding  the  broad  promenade  and  the  rondel,  and  paid 
for  their  airy  perches  only  with  some  pains  and  bruises. 

Since  early  dawn  this  pilgrimage  to  the  glacis  had  been 
going  on  ;  by  ten  o'clock  all  seats,  roads,  tribunes,  trees, 
ditches,  and  bridges,  were  occupied  by  a  dense  crowd  ;  and,  in 
order  to  prevent  accidents,  the  authorities  had  already  ordered 
all  approaches  to  the  glacis  to  be  closed. 

On  the  broad  promenade,  too,  matters  assumed  a  very 
lively  aspect.  The  militia  marched  up  with  banners  unfurled 
and  drums  beating.  They  drew  up  in  line  on  both  sides  of 
the  road,  and  their  officers  and  standard-bearers  repaired  to 
the  large  rondel  where  another  had  been  constructed  in  face 
of  the  imperial  tribune.  They  ranged  themselves  around  the 
altar,  on  whose  steps  priests  in  full  vestments  were  kneel- 
ing, and  which  was  surmounted  by  a  gigantic  crucifix,  visible 
to  all  spectators  far  and  near,  and  waving  to  all  its  blessings 
and  love-greetings. 

And  now  all  the  church-steeples  commenced  ringing  their 
peals  ;  the  iron  tongues  of  their  bells  proclaimed  to  the  in- 
habitants of  Vienna,  and  to  the  many  thousands  of  strangers 
who  had  come  to  witness  the  solemnity,  that  the  emperor  with 
his  consort  and  his  children  had  left  the  Hofburg,  and  was 
approaching  the  glacis,  followed  by  his  suite.  The  militia  as- 
sumed a  stiff  military  attitude,  the  drums  rolled,  the  cannon 
boomed,  the  bugles  sounded  merry  notes,  and  the  emperor, 
leading  his  consort  by  the  hand,  entered  the  tribune.  He 
looked  pale  ;  his  form  was  bent,  and  trembling  as  if  shaken  by 
an  inward  fever  ;  and  even  more  singular  appeared  his  down- 
hanging  under-lip  and  the  gloomy,  morose  expression  of  his 
lustreless  blue  eyes.  But  the  people  did  not  see  this  ;  they  saw 
only  that  their  emperor  had  arrived — their  emperor,  who  had 
resolved  to  deliver  Austria  from  the  ignominious  foreign  yoke  ; 


g(J.  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

who  would  die  with  his  subjects  rather  than  longer  bear  the 
arrogance  of  France ;  and  who  boldly  and  courageously 
staked  all  in  order  to  win  all,  to  restore  at  length  a  lasting 
peace  to  Austria  and  Germany,  and  vindicate  their  honor  and 
independence.  For  this  reason  all  hearts  greeted  the  Emperor 
Francis  with  love  and  exultation,  and  he  was  received  with 
deafening  and  constantly-renewed  cheers. 

The  emperor  received  with  a  forced  smile  the  nattering 
homage  which  was  rendered  to  him,  but  more  radiant  was  the 
smile  of  his  consort ;  in  her  dark  and  glowing  eyes  glistened 
tears  of  joyful  emotion,  when  she  glanced  at  this  jubilant 
mass  of  spectators  and  the  enthusiastic  regiments  of  the  militia. 
She  was  also  full  of  exultation  ;  she  did  not,  however,  give 
vent  to  her  feelings,  but  pent  them  up  in  her  heart,  owing  to 
the  moroseness  of  her  imperial  husband. 

In  the  midst  of  a  fresh  outburst  of  popular  enthusiasm, 
Francis  bent  over  the  empress.  "  I  suppose  you  are  well  sat- 
isfied now,  empress  ? "  he  asked.  "  You  have  attained  your 
object ;  all  of  you  have  fanned  the  flame  until  war  is  ready  to 
break  out,  and  every  thing  will  go  again  topsy-turvy.  But  I 
tell  you,  empress,  we  shall  fail  again  ;  I  do  not  believe  that 
we  shall  conquer. " 

"  Well,  your  majesty,  then  we  shall  succumb  and  die,  but 
it  will  be  an  honorable  defeat.  It  is  better  to  perish  in  a  just 
and  honorable  struggle  than  submit  patiently  to  foreign  usur- 
pation." 

"  A  very  nice  phrase,  but  the  practical  execution  of  such 
ideas  is  sometimes  by  far  more  unpleasant  than  the  theory 
which  they  express.  I  am  afraid  you  will  have  good  reason 
to  regret  this  day,  and— but  what  fearful  noise  is  this  again  ? 
The  people  are  cheering  as  though  they  were  welcoming 
God  Almighty  Himself.  What  is  it  ?  " 

"  Your  majesty,"  said  Ludovica,  gazing  timidly  into  her 
husband's  face,  "  I  believe  the  people  are  cheering  the  Arch- 
dukes Charles  and  John,  for  they  are  just  walking  along  the 
ranks  of  the  militia." 

"  Ah,  my  brothers  ! "  murmured  the  emperor,  with  an 
angry  expression,  which,  however,  disappeared  again  imme- 
diately ;  "the  people  are  cheering  my  brothers  as  though  they 


CONSECRATION   OF   THE  FLAGS,  AND  FAREWELL.        87 

were  two  divinities  from  whom  alone  they  expect  salvation 
and  prosperity/' 

"Your  majesty,  the  people  cheer  the  archdukes  because 
they  are  the  brothers  of  the  emperor,  and  because  the  confi- 
dence of  your  majesty  has  placed  them  at  the  head  of  the  Aus- 
trian armies  to  lead  them  to  battle,  and,  if  it  please  God,  to 
victory.  It  is  your  majesty  alone  that  appointed  the  Arch- 
duke Charles  generalissimo  of  all  your  forces,  and  the  Arch- 
duke John  commander  of  the  army  of  Lower  Austria." 

''  Yes,  I  did  so,  for,  blessed  as  I  am  with  brothers  so  heroic 
and  spirited,  I  must  of  course  distinguish  and  employ  them  in 
accordance  with  their  merits  ;  otherwise  they  might  believe  I 
was  jealous  of  their  glory  and  splendor.  This  would  be  entirely 
false,  for,  so  far  from  being  jealous  of  them,  I  love  them  dearly, 
and  give  them  now  again  another  opportunity  to  gain  laurels, 
as  they  did  in  1805.  It  is  true,  my  brother  the  generalissimo, 
was  not  victorious  at  Austerlitz,  and  my  brother  John  has 
likewise  sustained  many  a  defeat  ;  but  that  does  not  prevent 
them  from  being  heroes  and  great  men.  Just  listen  to  the 
roars  with  which  the  people  greet  them  !  Jesus  Maria  !  I 
hope  the  generalissimo  will  not  have  his  fits  from  excessive 

j°y-" 

Ludovica  cast  a  quick,  mournful  glance  on  the  maliciously 
smiling  face  of  her  husband.  '*  Your  majesty  need  not  be 
alarmed,"  she  said  ;  "  your  tender  apprehensions  will  fortu- 
nately not  be  fulfilled.  You  see  that  the  archduke  is  quite 
well ;  he  is  just  addressing  his  troops." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  his  speech.  M.  von  Gentz  wrote  it  for 
him,  and  I  permitted  him  to  deliver  it.  Ah,  it  abounds  with 
fine  phrases,  and  my  dear  Austrians  will  be  astonished  on 
hearing  what  liberal  men  we  have  become  all  of  a  sudden,  and 
what  grand  ideas  of  liberty,  equality,  and  popular  sovereignty 
we  have  adopted.  Just  listen  to  him  !  the  conclusion  is  very 
fine,  and  sounds  just  as  though  the  Marseillaise  had  been 
translated  into  the  language  of  the  Austrians." 

"  Soldiers,"  shouted  the  archduke,  at  this  moment,  in  a  loud, 
ringing  voice,  "  the  liberty  of  Europe  has  taken  refuge  under 
the  flag  of  Austria  :  the  rights,  freedom,  and  honor  of  all  Ger- 
many expect  their  salvation  only  of  our  armies.  Never  shall 


88  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

they,  instruments  of  oppression,  carry  on  in  foreign  countries 
the  endless  wars  of  a  destructive  ambition,  annihilate  innocent 
nations,  and  with  their  own  corpses  pave  for  foreign  conquer- 
ors the  road  leading  to  usurped  thrones.  Soldiers,  we  take  up 
arms  only  for  the  liberty,  honor,  and  rights  of  all  Germany  ; 
it  is  these  sacred  boons  that  we  have  to  defend  !  "  * 

A  long-continued,  deafening  outburst  of  applause  both  of 
the  soldiers  and  the  people  was  the  reply  to  the  stirring  ad- 
dress of  the  generalissimo  ;  but  suddenly  every  sound  was 
hushed,  for  at  the  altar,  yonder  by  the  side  of  the  tall  crucifix, 
appeared  now  the  archbishop,  accompanied  by  the  whole  body 
of  the  high  clergy. 

The  emperor  rose  from  his  seat  and  bowed  humbly  and  de- 
voutly to  the  prelate  who  had  been  the  teacher  of  his  youth, 
and  had  afterward  married  him  three  times,  the  last  time  only 
a  few  months  ago. 

And  now  the  archdukes  marched  the  troops  into  the  mid- 
dle of  the  place,  and  the  consecration  of  the  flags  commenced 
amid  the  peals  of  all  the  church-bells  and  the  booming  of  ar- 
tillery. 

The  emperor  looked  on,  standing,  bareheaded,  and  with 
hands  clasped  in  prayer.  Ludovica  turned  her  eyes  heaven- 
ward, and  her  lips  moved  in  a  low,  fervent  prayer.  Behind 
them  stood  the  young  archdukes  and  archduchesses,  muttering 
prayers,  and  yet  glancing  around  curiously  ;  and  the  cavaliers 
of  the  imperial  couple,  looking  gloomy,  and  plainly  showing 
in  their  sombre  faces  the  rage  that  filled  their  hearts. 

The  ceremony  being  finished,  the  archbishop  lifted  up  his 
hands  and  stretched  them  out  toward  the  soldiers.  "  Adieu, 
until  we  meet  again,"  he  exclaimed  with  a  radiant  air,  and  in 
a  voice  of  joyful  enthusiasm  ;  u  adieu,  until  we  meet  again  at 
the  hour  of  danger  ! " 

"  Adieu,  until  we  meet  again  at  the  hour  of  danger  ! " 
echoed  the  soldiers  with  enthusiasm.  Seeing  then  that  the 
archbishop  bent  his  knees,  they  knelt  likewise  and  bowed  their 
heads  in  prayer.  Hushed  was  every  sound  on  the  vast  place. 
Only  the  church-bells  were  pealing  and  the  artillery  was  boom- 
ing in  the  distance,  and  the  murmur  of  the  devout  prayers 

*  Hormayr,  "  Allgemeine  Geschichte,"  vol.  iiL.  p.  219. 


CONSECRATION   OF   THE   FLAGS,  AND   FAREWELL.        89 

which  rose  to  God  from  so  many  pious  hearts  broke  the 
silence. 

In  the  fervent  enthusiasm  of  this  hour  no  one  felt  the  least 
timidity,  no  one  looked  anxiously  into  the  future.  Even  the 
mothers  did  not  shed  tears  for  their  sons  who  were  about  to 
take  the  field  ;  the  affianced  brides  allowed  their  lovers  to  de- 
part without  uttering  com  plaints  or  weeping  at  the  thought  of 
their  impending  departure  ;  wives  took  leave  of  their  husbands 
with  joyous  courage,  pressing  their  infants  to  their  breasts  and 
commending  them  trustingly  to  God's  protection.  The  pa- 
triotic enthusiasm  had  seized  all,  and  carried  away  even  the 
coldest  and  most  selfish  hearts.  The  rich  contributed  their 
money  with  unwonted  liberality  ;  those  who  were  in  less  fa- 
vorable circumstances  laid  down  their  plate  and  valuables  on 
the  altar  of  the  country  ;  the  mechanics  offered  to  work  gra- 
tuitously for  the  army  ;  the  women  scraped  lint  and  organized 
associations  for  the  relief  of  the  wounded  ;  the  young  men 
offered  their  life-blood  to  the  fatherland,  and  considered  it  as 
a  favor  that  their  services  were  not  rejected. 

The  long-concealed  hatred  against  France  burst  forth  in 
bright  flames  throughout  Austria  and  Germany  ;  the  war  was 
hailed  with  rapturous  enthusiasm,  and  every  heart  longed  to 
take  part  in  this  struggle,  which  seemed  to  all  a  war  of  holy 
vengeance  and  retribution.  For  the  first  time  in  long  years 
Austria  felt  again  thoroughly  identified  with  Germany, 
while  the  other  Germans  were  looking  upon  Austria  as  a  Ger- 
man state  and  holding  out  their  hands  to  their  Austrian 
brethren,  telling  them  that  they  sympathized  most  vividly 
with  the  ends  which  they  were  trying  to  attain. 

But  while  the  utmost  exultation  was  reigning  among  the 
people  and  the  soldiers  on  this  joyful  day,  a  gloomy  silence 
prevailed  in  the  imperial  palace.  The  joyous  mask  with  which 
the  generalissimo,  the  Archduke  Charles,  had  covered  his  face 
while  on  the  glacis,  had  disappeared  from  it  so  soon  as  he  had 
returned  to  his  rooms.  Pale  and  faint,  he  rested  in  an  easy- 
chair,  and,  fixing  his  sombre  eyes  on  his  quartermaster-gener- 
al, Count  Griinne,  he  said  :  "  My  friend,  listen  to  that  which  I 
am  going  to  say  to  you  now,  and  which  you  will  remember 
one  day.  I  have  objected  three  times  in  the  most  emphatic 
7 


90  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

manner  to  this  declaration  of  war.  for  I  know  that  our  prep- 
arations are  not  sufficiently  matured,  and  I  know  also  that  I 
have  here  in  Austria  powerful  enemies  who  are  intent  on  im- 
peding all  my  efforts,  and  who  will  shrink  from  nothing  in 
order  to  ruin  me,  and  with  me  you  too,  my  poor  friend.  The 
whole  aristocracy  is  hostile  to  me,  and  will  never  allow  the 
emperor's  brothers  to  set  bounds  to  its  oligarchy  by  their  mer- 
its and  influence  ;  it  will  always  oppose  us,  even  though  i1 
should  endanger  thereby  the  power  and  honor  of  the  father 
land.  I  know  all  the  perils  and  intrigues  surrounding  me, 
and  because  I  know  them  I  tried  to  avoid  them,  opposed  the 
war,  and  strove  to  get  rid  at  least  of  the  command-in-chief. 
But  the  emperor  would  not  allow  me  to  do  so  ;  he  ordered  me 
to  accept  the  arduous  position  of  generalissimo  of  his  forces, 
and,  as  his  subject,  I  had  to  obey  him.  But  I  repeat  it,  this 
will  be  a  disastrous  war  for  Austria,  and  I  look  with  gloomy 
forebodings  into  the  future." 

And  as  gloomy  as  the  generalissimo's  face  was  that  of  his 
brother,  the  Emperor  Francis.  He  had  retired  into  his  cabi- 
net, and  strode  growlingly  up  and  down,  holding  the  fly-flap 
in  his  hand,  and  striking  savagely  at  the  flies  which  his  search- 
ing eyes  discovered  here  and  there  on  the  wall. 

Suddenly  the  door  opened,  and  the  footman  announced  th> 
Archduke  John.  The  emperor's  face  became  even  more  mo- 
rose. He  cast  the  fly-flap  aside,  and  murmured  to  himself, 
"My  brothers  never  leave  me  any  rest."  He  then  said  in  a 
loud  voice,  "  Let  him  come  in." 

A  minute  afterward  the  archduke  entered  the  cabinet.  His 
face  was  still  joyously  lit  up  by  the  soul-stirring  solemnity  in 
which  he  had  participated  in  the  morning ;  his  eye  was  yet 
radiant  with  noble  enthusiasm  and  exultation,  and  a  serene 
smile  played  around  his  lips.  Thus  he  appeared  before  his 
brother,  whose  face  seemed  doubly  gloomy  in  the  presence  of 
his  own. 

u  I  come  to  take  leave  of  your  majesty  and  bid  farewell  to 
my  brother  Francis,"  he  said,  in  a  mild,  tender  voice.  "  I  in- 
tend to  set  out  to-night  for  Gratz,  and  organize  my  staff 
there." 

"  God  bless  you,  commander  of  the  Southern  army  !  "  said 


CONSECRATION   OF   THE   FLAGS,  AND    FAREWELL.        91 

the  emperor,  dryly  ;  "  God  bless  you,  brother.  You  were  all 
eager  for  war  ;  now  you  have  it !  " 

"And  your  majesty  has  witnessed  the  enthusiasm  with 
which  the  Austrian  people  hailed  the  declaration  of  war.  And 
not  only  the  people  of  Austria,  but  all  Germany,  looks  now 
with  joy,  hope,  and  pride  toward  Austria,  and  participates 
most  cordially  in  our  warlike  enthusiasm." 

"  I  do  not  care  for  that,"  said  the  emperor,  dryly.  "  Thank 
God,  I  cast  off  the  crown  of  Germany  three  years  ago,  and  am 
no  longer  Emperor  of  Germany." 

"  But  one  day,  when  your  armies  have  conquered  France 
and  delivered  the  world  from  the  insatiable  usurper,  Germany 
will  gratefully  lie  down  at  your  majesty's  feet  and  beseech 
you  to  accept  the  imperial  crown  again  at  her  hands." 

"  Much  obliged,  sir,  but  I  would  not  take  it,"  exclaimed  the 
emperor,  with  a  shrug.  "  But  say,  brother,  are  you  really  con- 
vinced that  we  can  and  shall  conquer  Bonaparte  ? " 

"  I  am.     We  shall  conquer,  if — 

"  Well,  if — "  asked  the  emperor,  when  the  archduke  hesi- 
tated. 

"If  we  are  really  determined  to  do  so,"  said  John,  looking 
the  emperor  full  in  the  face  ;  "  if  we  act  harmoniously,  if  we 
do  not  impede  each  other,  if  no  petty  jealousies  favor  the  ef- 
forts of  one  and  frustrate  those  of  the  other.  Oh,  brother, 
permit  me  at  this  farewell  hour  to  utter  a  few  frank  and  truth- 
ful words,  and  I  beg  your  majesty  to  forgive  me  if  my  heart 
opens  to  you  in  unreserved  confidence.  Brother,  I  confess 
frankly  all  is  not  as  it  should  be  here.  Where  concord  should 
reign,  there  is  discord  ;  where  all  should  have  their  eyes  fixed 
only  on  the  great  goal,  and  avail  themselves  of  all  means  and 
forces,  they  are  split  up  into  factions  bitterly  hostile  to  each 
other.  Oh,  my  gracious  emperor,  I  beseech  you,  do  not  listen 
to  these  factions,  do  not  confide  in  those  who  would  like  to 
arouse  your  suspicion  against  your  brothers.  Believe  me,  you 
have  no  more  loyal,  devoted,  and  obedient  subject  than  I  am  ; 
therefore,  confide  in  me,  who  wish  only  to  contribute  to  the 
greatness,  honor,  and  glory  of  my  country  and  my  emperor, 
to  the  best  of  my  power,  however  insignificant  it  may  be.  My 
brother,  there  has  long  been  a  gulf  between  us  ;  God  knows 


92  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

that  I  did  not  dig  it.  But  let  us  fill  it  up  forever  at  this  fare- 
well hour.  I  implore  you,  believe  in  my  love,  my  devoted 
loyalty  ;  take  me  by  the  hand  and  say,  '  John,  I  trust  you  !  I 
believe  in  you  ! '  See,  I  am  waiting  for  these  words  as  for  the 
blessing  which  is  to  accompany  me  into  battle,  and  rest  on  my 
heart  like  a  talisman.  Brother,  speak  these  words  of  love  and 
confidenee  !  Give  me  your  hand — open  your  arms  to  your 
brother  ! " 

"  Why  should  we  enact  here  a  sentimental  scene  ? "  asked 
the  emperor,  harshly.  "  I  do  not  like  such  things,  and  want 
to  see  family  dramas  only  performed  on  the  stage.  Thank 
God,  I  am  not  a  theatrical  emperor,  but  a  real  one,  and  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  scenes  from  plays.  Nor  do  I  know  of 
any  gulfs  existing  between  you  and  me.  I  never  perceived 
them,  and  was  never  disturbed  thereby.  But  why  do  you  pro- 
test your  love  and  loyalty  in  so  passionate  a  manner  to  me  ? 
Who  tells  you,  then,  that  I  suspect  them  ?  That  would  be 
equivalent  to  considering  my  brother  a  traitor,  and  it  would 
be  very  unfortunate  for  him  ;  for  toward  traitors  I  shall  al- 
ways be  inexorable,  whosover  they  may  be,  and  whether  they 
be  persons  of  high  or  low  rank.  Let  us  speak  no  longer  of  it. 
But,  besides,  you  have  again  advised  me,  without  being  re- 
quested to  do  so,  and  demand  that  I  should  not  listen  to  any 
factions.  I  never  do,  brother.  I  never  listen  to  any  factions, 
neither  to  yours,  nor  to  that  of  the  others.  I  listen  only  to 
myself,  and  require  submissiveness  and  obedience  of  my  serv- 
ants. You  are  one  of  the  latter  ;  go,  then,  and  obey  me.  I 
have  resolved  on  war ;  go,  then,  to  your  corps  and  fight,  as 
you  are  in  duty  bound,  for  your  emperor  and  for  Austria. 
Defeat  Napoleon  if  you  can.  You  are  playing  a  game  which 
may  easily  become  dangerous  to  ourselves.  You  have  stirred 
up  an  insurrection  in  the  Tyrol ;  you  will  have  to  bear  the  re- 
sponsibility if  this  insurrection  shall  be  unsuccessful." 

"  I  will  bear  it,  and  God  will  forgive  what  I  have  done  !  " 
said  John,  solemnly.  ''  Your  majesty,  you  would  not  listen 
to  the  brother  who  offered  you  his  love  frankly  and  honestly. 
I  have  nothing  to  add  to  what  I  have  said,  nor  shall  I  ever 
make  another  attempt  to  gain  your  confidence." 

"  Is  that  intended  as  a  threat  ? "  asked  the  emperor,  angrily. 


CONSECRATION  OF  THE  FLAGS,  AND  FAREWELL.        93 

"  No,"  said  John,  mournfully,  "  I  do  not  threaten  you.  I 
shall  always  bear  in  mind  that  I  loved  you,  and  that  you 
are  not  only  my  lord  and  emperor,  but  also  the  son  of  my 
mother." 

"  And  I,"  cried  the  emperor,  vehemently,  "  shall  always 
bear  in  mind  that  you  were  the  head  of  the  faction  which,  by 
its  insensate  clamor  for  war,  first  aroused  Napoleon's  anger, 
brought  about  demonstrations  and  armaments  on  our  part,  and 
finally  obliged  me  to  resolve  on  war,  although  I  know  full 
well  that  this  resolution  will  inevitably  involve  Austria  in 
great  disaster.  Let  me  likewise  speak  a  farewell  word  to  you, 
brother.  We  shall  succumb  again,  although  my  wise  and 
learned  brothers  are  at  the  head  of  the  army.  I  consulted  the 
most  experienced  and  sagacious  men.  I  myself  paid  a  visit  to 
Count  Cobenzl,  who  is  lying  at  the  point  of  death,  and  asked 
his  opinion.  He  hates  Napoleon  as  ardently  as  any  one,  and 
yet  he  is  in  favor  of  peace.  I  consulted  the  Prince  de  Ligne 
and  Minister  Thugut ;  one  is  an  ambitious  captain,  the  other  a 
vindictive  diplomatist,  who  would  like  to  overthrow  Napo- 
leon ;  and  yet  both  were  for  peace  with  France,  and  I  will  tell 
you  the  reason  why  :  because  they  know  that  among  all  my 
captains  and  generals  there  is  not  one  determined  and  able 
enough  to  cope  with  Napoleon  and  his  marshals :  because 
they  knew  that  even  my  brother  Charles,  the  generalissimo,  is 
vacillating  and  irresolute  ;  and  because  they  do  not  know  what 
an  eminent  captain  the  Archduke  John  would  be,  if  he  only 
had  a  chance  to  show  his  military  talents.  If,  despite  all  this, 
I  resolved  on  war,  it  was  because  circumstances,  and  not  my 
convictions,  obliged  me  to  do  it— circumstances  which  were 
mostly  brought  about  by  you  and  your  friends." 

"  Your  majesty,"  said  John,  in  a  grave  and  dignified  man- 
ner, "permit  me  to  say  a  few  words  in  reply  to  what  you 
have  just  said.  You  allude  to  my  military  talents,  which  you 
say  I  have  not  had  a  chance  to  show.  Well,  give  me  such  a 
chance  ;  deliver  me  from  the  surveillance  tying  my  hands ; 
let  me  pursue  my  path  as  your  general  freely  and  without 
restrictions,  and  I  pledge  you  my  word  that  I  will  reconquer 
the  Tyrol  and  your  Italian  provinces." 

"  See,  see,  what  a  nice  plan  ! "    exclaimed  the  emperor, 


94:  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

laughing.     "  You  wish  to  be  another  generalissimo,  and  inde- 
pendent of  any  other  commander's  will  ? " 

*'  No,  your  majesty  ;  I  wish  to  obtain  only  equal  rights  and 
authority  to  deliberate  and  decide  jointly  with  my  brother 
Charles." 

"  It  is  very  bold  in  you,  sir,  thus  to  oppose  your  generalis- 
simo," said  the  emperor,  sternly.  "  To-day  you  will  no  longer 
obey  the  generalissimo — to-morrow  you  will  perhaps  refuse  to 
obey  the  emperor.  Not  another  word  about  it!  Go  and  do 
your  duty.  The  Archduke  Charles  is  generalissimo,  and  you 
will  submit  to  his  orders  and  instructions.  Farewell,  brother  ; 
may  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  bless  you  and  your  army ! " 

"  Farewell,  your  majesty,"  said  the  archduke,  bowing  cere- 
moniously to  the  emperor.  He  then  turned  hastily  and  left 
the  room. 

The  emperor  looked  after  him  with  an  angry  air.  "  I  be- 
lieve the  two  archdukes  will  thwart  each  other  on  all  occa- 
sions," he  said,  in  a  low  voice.  "  There  will  not  only  be  war 
with  France,  but  also  war  between  the  factions  in  Austria,  and 
the  consequence  will  be,  that  my  brothers  will  gain  but  very 
few  laurels." 

The  Archduke  John  returned  slowly  to  his  rooms.  After 
entering  his  cabinet,  he  sank  on  the  divan,  as  if  crushed  and 
heart-broken.  He  sat  a  long  time  in  silence,  his  head  bent 
on  his  breast,  and  uttering  from  time  to  time  heart-rending 
groans.  After  a  long  pause,  he  slowly  lifted  his  tearful  eyes 
to  heaven. 

"  Thou  knowest,  my  God,"  he  said,  in  a  low  voice,  u  that 
my  intentions  are  good  and  pure,  and  that  I  desire  nothing 
but  to  serve  my  country  and  deliver  it  from  the  disgrace 
which  it  has  had  to  submit  to  for  so  many  years  past.  Thou 
knowest  that  I  wish  nothing  for  myself,  but  all  for  the  father- 
land. Help  me.  my  God,  help  our  poor,  unfortunate  Austria! 
Let  us  not  succumb  and  perish !  Grant  victory  to  our  arms ! 
O  Austria,  O  Germany,  why  can  I  not  purchase  liberty  and 
independence  for  you  with  my  blood  ?  But  I  can  at  least 
fight  and  die  for  you  !  I  shall  welcome  death,  if  my  dying 
«yes  can  behold  liberty  dawning  upon  Germany ! " 


TIS  TIME!  95 

CHAPTER  IX. 

'TIS  TIME  ! 

IT  was  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  8th  of  April.  The  set- 
ting sun  was  shedding  his  last  red  rays  on  the  distant  moun- 
tain-crests of  the  Janfen  and  the  Timbler  Toch,  whose  blood- 
red  summits  contrasted  wonderfully  with  the  deep  azure  of 
the  clear  sky.  On  the  lower  slopes  of  the  mountains  twilight 
had  set  in  ;  the  pines,  the  daring  chamois  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  which  had  climbed  up  to  the  highest  parts  of  the 
mountains,  cast  the  gray  veil  of  dusk  over  these  lower  slopes. 
Below,  in  the  Passeyr  valley,  however,  night  already  pre- 
vailed, for  the  mountains  looming  up  on  both  sides  of  the 
valley  filled  it  with  darkness  even  before  sundown  ;  and  only 
the  wild,  roaring  Passeyr,  which  rushes  from  the  mountain 
through  the  valley,  glistened  like  a  silver  belt  in  the  gloom. 
The  church- bells  of  the  villages  of  St.  Leonard  and  St.  Martin, 
lying  on  both  sides  of  the  valley,  tolled  a  solemn  curfew, 
awakening  here  and  there  a  low,  sleepy  echo  ;  and  from  time 
to  time  was  heard  from  a  mountain-peak  a  loud,  joyous  Jodler, 
by  which  a  Tyrolese  hunter,  perhaps,  announced  his  speedy 
return  to  his  family  in  the  valley.  The  gloom  in  the  narrow 
Passeyrthal  became  deeper  and  deeper,  and,  like  bright  glow- 
worms, the  lights  in  the  houses  of  St.  Leonard  and  St.  Martin 
glistened  now  in  the  darkness. 

Lights  appeared  not  only  in  the  valley  below,  but  also  here 
and  there  on  the  mountain-slopes  ;  and  especially  in  the  soli- 
tary house  on  the  knoll  situated  half-way  between  the  two 
villages,  was  seen  the  bright  glare  of  many  candles,  and  the 
persons  passing  on  the  road  in  the  valley  looked  up  and  whis- 
pered to  each  other  :  "  Andreas  Hofer  is  at  home,  and,  it  seems, 
has  a  great  many  guests  at  his  house,  for  all  the  windows  of 
his  handsome  inn  are  illuminated." 

The  solitary  house  on  the  knoll,  then,  belonged  to  Andreas 
Hofer.  It  was  the  Gasthaus  zum  Sand,  far  famed  through- 
out the  Tyrol.  And  the  passers-by  were  not  mistaken.  An- 
dreas Hofer  WAS  at  home,  and  had  a  great  many  guests  at  his 


96  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

house.  On  the  benches  of  the  large  bar-room  sat  his  guests, 
handsome  Tyrolese,  with  flashing  eyes  and  animated  faces, 
which  were  all  turned  toward  the  Sandwirth,*  who  was  sit- 
ting on  the  small  table  yonder,  and  conversing  in  a  low  tone 
with  his  friends  Eisenstecken  and  Sieberer.  All  the  guests 
seemed  excited  and  anxious  ;  no  one  opened  his  mouth  to 
utter  merry  jests  ;  none  of  the  gay  songs  so  popular  among 
the  Tyrolese  resounded  :  and  the  guests  did  not  even  venture 
to  address  playful  remarks  to  Hofer's  pretty  daughters,  who 
were  gliding  noiselessly  through  the  room  to  fill  the  empty 
beer-glasses. 

"  It  seems,"  murmured  Anthony  Sieberer,  "  that  the  Aus- 
trian government  has  again  postponed  the  matter,  and  we 
shall  vainly  look  for  the  arrival  of  the  message.  This  new 
delay  puts  an  end  to  the  whole  movement." 

"  I  do  not  think  so,"  said  Hofer,  gravely,  and  loud  enough 
to  be  heard  by  all.  "  Do  not  despond,  my  dear  friends !  The 
Austrian  government  will  assuredly  keep  its  word,  for  the 
dear  brave  Archduke  John  promised  me  in  the  emperor's 
name  that  Austria  would  succor  the  Tyrolese,  and  send  troops 
into  our  country,  if  we  would  be  in  readiness  on  the  9th  of 
April  to  rise  against  the  Bavarians.  My  dear  friends,  do  you 
put  no  confidence,  then,  in  the  word  of  our  excellent  emperoi 
and  the  good  archduke,  who  has  always  loved  us  so  dearly  ?" 

"  No,  no,  we  put  implicit  confidence  in  their  word ! " 
shouted  the  Tyrolese,  with  one  accord. 

"  The  messenger  will  surely  come,  just  have  a  little  pa- 
tience," added  Hofer,  with  a  pleasant  nod  ;  "  the  day  is  not 
yet  at  an  end,  and  until  midnight  we  may  smoke  yet  many  a 
pipe  and  drink  many  a  glass  of  beer. — Anna  Gertrude,  see  to 
it  that  the  glasses  of  the  guests  are  always  well  filled." 

Anna  Gertrude,  a  fine-looking  matron  of  thirty-six,  with 
florid  cheeks  and  flashing  hazel  eyes,  had  just  placed  before 
her  husband  another  jug,  filled  with  foaming  beer,  and  she 
nodded  now  to  her  Andy  with  a  smile,  showing  two  rows  of 
faultless  white  teeth. 

"  I  and  the  girls  will  attend  to  the  guests,"  she  said,  "  but 

*  The  name  usually  given  to  Hofer — Sandwirth,  landlord  of  the  inn 
"  Zum  Sand." 


TIS  TIME!  97 

the  men  do  not  drink  any  thing.  The  glasses  and  jugs  are  all 
filled,  but  they  do  not  empty  them,  and —  Look !  who  comes 
there  ? " 

Andreas  Hofer  turned  his  head  toward  the  door  ;  then 
suddenly  he  uttered  a  cry  of  surprise  and  jumped  up. 

"  Halloo ! "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  believe  this  is  the  messenger 
whom  we  are  looking  for."  And  he  pointed  his  outstretched 
arm  at  the  small,  dark  form  entering  the  room  at  this  moment. 

"It  is  Major  Teimer,"  he  continued,  joyfully  ;  "I  suppose 
you  know  yet  our  dear  major  of  1805  ? " 

"Hurrah!  Martin  Teimer  is  there,"  shouted  the  Tyrolese, 
rising  from  their  seats,  and  hastening  to  the  new-comer  to 
shake  hands  with  him  and  bid  him  heartily  welcome. 

Martin  Teimer  thanked  them  warmly  for  this  kind  recep- 
tion, and  a  flash  of  sincere  gratification  burst  from  his  shrewd 
blue  eyes. 

"  I  thought  I  should  meet  all  the  brave  men  of  the  Passeyr 
valley  at  Andy's  house  to-night,"  he  said,  "and  I  therefore 
greet  you  all  at  once,  my  dear  comrades  of  1805.  That  year 
was  disastrous  to  us,  but  I  think  the  year  1809  will  be  a 
better  one,  and  we  shall  regain  to-day  what  we  lost  at  that 
time." 

"  Yes,  we  shall,  as  sure  as  there  is  a  God,"  shouted  the 
Tyrolese  ;  and  Andreas  Hofer  laid  his  arm  on  Teimer's 
shoulder  and  gazed  deeply  into  his  eyes. 

"  Say,  Martin  Teimer,  are  all  things  in  readiness,  and  do 
you  bring  us  word  to  rise  ?  " 

"  I  do,  all  things  are  in  readiness,"  said  Teimer,  solemnly. 
"  Our  countryman,  Baron  von  Hormayr,  whom  the  Austrian 
government  appointed  governor  and  intendant  of  the  Austrian 
forces  which  are  to  co-operate  with  us,  sends  me  to  Andreas 
Hofer,  whom  I  am  to  inform  that  the  Austrian  troops,  com- 
manded by  Marquis  von  Chasteler  and  General  Hiller,  will 
cross  the  Tyrolese  frontier  to-night." 

"  Hurrah,  hurrah  !  the  Austrians  are  coming  ! "  shouted 
the  Tyrolese,  jubilantly,  swinging  their  pointed  hats  in  the 
air.  "The  war  has  broken  out,  the  Austrians  are  coming, 
and  we  will  expel  the  Bavarians  from  the  country  !  " 

Andreas  Hofer's  face,  too,  was  radiant  with  joy  ;  but,  in- 


98  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

stead  of  singing  and  shouting,  he  was  silent,  lifted  his  eyes 
slowly  to  heaven,  and  seized  with  both  his  hands  the  crucifix 
resting  on  his  breast. 

"  Let  us  pray,  my  friends,"  he  said  in  a  loud  and  solemn 
voice  ;  "  let  us  thank  our  Lord  God  and  our  patron  saint  in 
the  stillness  of  our  hearts.1' 

The  men  paused  ;  like  Andreas  Hofer,  they  clasped  their 
hands,  bent  their  heads,  and  muttered  fervent  prayers. 

After  a  long  pause  Hofer  raised  his  head  again.  "  And 
now,  men,  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say  to  you,"  he  exclaimed, 
cheerfully.  "  I  have  invited  you  all  because  you  are  the  most 
influential  and  respectable  men  in  this  part  of  the  country, 
and  because  the  fatherland  has  need  of  you  and  counts  upon 
you  and  me.  The  sharpshooters  of  the  Passeyrthal  told  me, 
if  war  should  break  out,  I  must  be  their  captain  ;  and  I  ac- 
cepted the  position  because  I  think  that  every  one  is  in  duty 
bound  to  risk  his  limbs  and  life  for  the  sake  of  the  fatherland, 
and  place  himself  just  where  he  can  serve  it  best.  But  if  I 
am  to  be  your  captain,  you  must  all  assist  me  to  the  best  of 
your  power.  We  must  act  harmoniously,  and  strain  every 
nerve  to  deliver  the  fatherland  and  restore  the  Tyrol  to  our 
beloved  emperor." 

"  We  are  resolved  to  do  so,"  shouted  the  men,  with  one 
accord. 

'•  I  know  it  full  well,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  joyously.  "  Let 
us  go  to  work,  then,  and  circulate  throughout  the  Tyrol  the 
message  that  the  Austrians  are  coming,  and  that  it  is  time. 
Say,  Teimer,  did  you  not  bring  a  written  message  with 
you?" 

"Here  is  a  letter  from  Hormayr,"  said  Martin  Teimer, 
drawing  a  large  sealed  paper  from  his  bosom. 

Andreas  took  it  and  opened  it  quickly.  But  while  he  was 
reading  it,  a  slight  cloud  overspread  his  countenance,  and  for 
a  moment  he  cast  a  rapid,  searching  glance  on  Martin  Teim- 
er's  bright,  keen  face  ;  however,  no  sooner  had  he  met  Teim- 
er's  stealthy,  inquiring  glance,  than  he  quickly  turned  his 
eyes  again  to  the  paper. 

"  Well,"  he  said  then,  striking  the  paper  with  his  right  hand, 
"  the  statements  contained  in  this  letter  are  entirely  in  accord- 


'TIS  TIME!  99 

ance  with  our  wishes.  We  are  to  rise  at  once,  for  already  to- 
morrow the  Austrians  will  have  crossed  our  frontiers.  Marquis 
von  Chasteler  will  march  from  Carinthia  into  the  Puster  val- 
ley ;  General  Hiller  is  moving  from  Salzburg  toward  the 
Lower  Inn  valley  ;  the  former  thinks  he  will  reach  Brixen  in 
the  course  of  four  days ;  the  latter  says  he  will  be  at  Innspruck 
within  the  same  time.  I  and  Martin  Teimer  here,  who  no 
longer  keeps  a  tobacco-shop  at  Klagenfurth,  but  is  again  Major 
Teimer  as  he  was  four  years  ago — we  are  to  direct  and  man- 
age every  thing  in  the  Tyrol,  and  are  intrusted  with  the  duty 
of  seeing  to  it  that  the  flames  of  the  insurrection  burst 
forth  now  as  speedily  as  possible  from  one  end  of  the  Tyrol  to 
the  other,  and  that  it  shall  become  a  conflagration  that  will 
burn  up  all  Frenchmen  and  Bavarians,  or  compel  them  to 
escape  from  the  country.  Assist  us,  then,  my  men,  in  spread- 
ing the  news  over  the  mountains  and  through  the  valleys, 
that  all  may  rise  and  participate  in  the  great  work  of  deliver- 
ance. Every  able-bodied  man  is  to  shoulder  his  rifle,  and  the 
women  and  children  are  to  carry,  from  house  to  house,  little 
balls  of  paper  on  which  are  written  the  words  :  '  'Tis  time ! ' 
as  we  have  agreed  at  our  meetings.  And  now,  in  compliance 
with  the  promise  I  gave  Hormayr  in  Vienna,  I  will  issue  a 
circular  to  all  our  friends  that  they  may  know  what  to  do 
under  these  circumstances.  Is  there  among  you  any  one  who 
can  write  well  and  correctly,  and  to  whom  I  may  dictate  ? 
for  my  own  handwriting  is  none  of  the  best,  and  although 
what  I  write  may  be  thought  correctly,  it  is  not  spelled  as 
learned  men  tell  us  it  should  be.  If  there  is  among  you  one 
who  can  write  nicely  and  correctly  what  I  wish  to  dictate,  let 
him  come  forward." 

"  I  can  do  it,"  said  a  young  man,  stepping  forward. 

"It  is  Joseph  Ennemoser,  son  of  John  Ennemoser,  the 
Seewirth,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  smiling.  "  Yes,  I  believe  you 
are  a  good  scribe  ;  you  have  become  quite  a  scholar  and  an 
aristocratic  gentleman,  and  are  studying  medicine  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Innspruck." 

"  For  all  that,  I  have  remained  an  honest  mountaineer ; 
and  as  for  my  studies,  I  will  not  think  of  them  until  we  have 
delivered  the  Tyrol  from  the  Bavarian  yoke.  I  shall  keep 


100  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

only  my  pen,  and  act  as  Andreas  Hofer's  obedient  secre- 
tary."* 

"  Sit  down,  then,  my  boy,  and  write.  You  will  find  pen 
and  ink  in  the  drawer  of  yonder  table.  Take  them,  and  I 
will  dictate  to  you." 

And  amidst  the  respectful  silence  of  the  men,  walking  up 
and  down  slowly,  and  stroking  his  long  beard  with  his  right 
hand,  Andreas  Hofer  commenced  dictating  his  "  open  order," 
which  was  as  follows  : 

"  Early  in  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  April  General  Hiller 
will  march  from  Salzburg  to  the  Lower  Inn  valley,  and 
General  von  Chasteler  from  Carinthia  to  the  Puster  valley. 
On  the  llth  or  12th  of  April  the  former  will  arrive  at  Inns- 
pruck,  and  the  latter  at  Brixen.  The  Archduke  John  orders 
that  the  Muhlbach  pass  be  occupied  by  peasants  from  the 
Puster  valley,  and  the  Kuntersweg  by  mounted  men.  They 
are  to  allow  all  forces  of  the  enemy  marching  from  Botzen 
to  Brixen  to  pass,  and  will  cut  off  all  communications  only  so 
soon  as  they  discover  that  the  Bavarian  civilians  and  soldiers 
are  trying  to  escape  from  Brixen  to  Botzen.  Not  a  man  must 
be  allowed  to  pass  then." 

While  Andreas  Hofer  was  dictating  his  "  open  order " 
with  a  firm  and  thoughtful  air,  the  peasants  stood  dum- 
founded  with  admiration,  staring  at  him  with  a  feeling  of 
awe,  and  delighted  with  his  sagacity  and  understanding. 
That  Hofer  cast  from  time  to  time  a  searching  glance  at  Hor- 
mayr's  letter  did  not  disturb  the  admiration  they  felt  for  their 
chosen  leader,  and  they  were  silent  and  stared  at  him  long 
after  he  was  through. 

"  So,"  said  Andreas  when  the  writing  was  finished,  "  now 
Martin  Teimer  and  I  will  affix  our  names  to  this  open  order  ; 
Ennemoser  will  then  copy  it  half  a  dozen  times,  and  six  of 
you  will  carry  the  copies  to  the  other  leaders  who  are  already 
waiting  for  them,  and  who  will  give  the  signal  to  their  friends 

*  Joseph  Ennemoser,  son  of  John  Ennemoser,  the  tailor  and  Seewirth 
of  the  Passeyrthal,  was  a  shepherd  in  his  boyhood.  His  father  sent  him  to 
the  gymnasium  of  Innspruck,  and  afterward  to  the  university  of  the  same 
city,  where  he  studied  medicine.  In  1809  he  was  Hofer's  secretary.  After- 
ward he  became  a  celebrated  professor  of  medicine  at  the  University  of  Bonn. 


'TIS  TIME!  101 

in  the  lower  valley.  You,  George  Lanthaler,  will  carry  the 
order  to  Joseph  Speckhacher  at  Kufstein  ;  you,  Joseph  Gufler, 
will  take  it  to  the  farmer  at  the  Schildhof  ;  you,  George  Stein- 
hauferle,  will  go  to  Anthony  Wallner,  the  Aichberger  at  Win- 
disch-Matrey.  Quick,  quick,  my  friends,  we  have  no  time  to 
lose  ;  you  must  walk  night  and  day  ;  you  cannot  rest  on  the 
road,  for  we  must  strike  the  hlow  with  lightning  speed,  and 
it  must  be  done  at  the  same  time  all  over  the  country." 

*'  And  I  will  likewise  set  out  again  to  spread  the  news 
throughout  the  country,"  said  Martin  Teimer.  "  For  two 
weeks  past  I  have  heen  in  all  parts  of  the  Tyrol,  and  have 
worked  everywhere  for  our  cause,  and  know  now  that  we  may 
count  upon  all  our  countrymen.  They  are  waiting  for  the 
signal,  and  we  must  give  it  to  them.  Here,  take  this  package  ; 
it  contains  a  large  number  of  those  little  paper  balls  upon 
which  are  written  the  words  '  'Tis  time  ! '  Each  of  you  can 
take  a  handful  of  them  and  give  them  to  your  wives  and  chil- 
dren, that  they  may  carry  them  to  the  neighbors  and  distrib- 
ute them  everywhere.  Speckbacher  and  Wallner,  too,  have 
packages  of  such  paper  balls,  and  so  soon  as  our  faithful  mes- 
sengers bring  them  our  '  open  order,'  they  will  likewise  send 
around  their  wives  and  children  through  the  neighborhood  ; 
and  everywhere  the  cry  will  be,  '  'Tis  time  ! '  We  must  expel 
the  Bavarians  !  I  will  go  now,  for  I  must  concentrate  my 
men  in  order  to  prevent  the  Bavarians  from  crossing  the 
bridge  of  Laditch.  Farewell,  then,  and  God  grant  that  we 
may  all  meet  again  before  long  as  free  and  happy  men  at  our 
good  city  of  Innspruck  !  " 

"  We  must  go  too,"  exclaimed  the  Tyrolese  when  Martin 
Teimer  had  left  the  house  as  quickly  as  he  had  entered  it. 
"  We  must  go  into  the  mountains  and  inform  our  friends  that 
it  is  time." 

"But  go  through  the  kitchen,  my  dear  messengers," 
said  Andreas  Hofer  ;  "  there  is  a  bag  of  flour  for  each  of  you  ; 
take  it  on  your  back,  and  on  passing  during  your  march 
a  rivulet  or  a  mountain  torrent,  throw  some  of  the  flour  into 
it  ;  and  wherever  you  find  dry  brushwood  on  the  road,  pile 
it  up  and  kindle  it,  that  the  bale-fires  may  proclaim  to  the 
country, '  'Tis  time  1 ' " 


102  ANDBEAS  HOFER. 

Half  an  hour  afterward  the  large  bar-room  was  deserted, 
and  profound  silence  reigned  in  the  inn  Zum  Sand.  The  serv- 
ants and  children  of  the  Sandwirth  had  gone  to  bed  ;  only 
he  himself  and  his  faithful  wife,  Anna  Gertrude,  were  yet  up. 
Both  had  retired  into  the  small  sitting-room  adjoining  the  bar- 
room. Andreas  Hofer  was  walking  up  and  down  there 
silently  and  thoughtfully,  his  hands  folded  on  his  back  ;  Ger- 
trude sat  in  the  leather-covered  arm-chair  at  the  stove,  and 
looked  at  her  husband.  Every  thing  was  still  around  them  ; 
only  the  slow,  regular  ticking  of  the  clock  broke  the  profound 
silence,  and  outside  was  to  be  heard  the  wild  roaring  of  the 
Passeyr,  which  hurled  its  furious  foaming  waters  not  far  from 
the  inn  over  pebbles  and  fragments  of  rocks. 

Finally,  after  a  long  pause,  Andreas  stood  still  in  front  of 
his  wife,  and  gazed  at  her  with  a  long,  searching,  and  tender 
look.  Gertrude,  as  if  lifted  up  by  this  glance,  rose,  encircled 
his  neck  quickly  with  her  arms,  and  looked  with  an  expression 
of  terror  and  anxiety  into  his  face. 

"  Andy,"  she  exclaimed,  mournfully,  "  my  own,  dearest 
Andy,  I  am  afraid  harm  will  befall  you  ! " 

''  That  is  what  I  expect,"  he  said,  sighing,  "  and  I  am  sorry 
for  you,  my  dearest  wife.  I  was  just  speaking  with  God  and 
my  conscience,  and  asking  them  so  fervently  if  it  was  not  wrong 
in  me  not  to  think  above  all  things  of  my  dear  wife  and  my  be- 
loved children,  and  if  I  ought  not  to  live  and  die  only  for 
them.  For  I  tell  you,  and  I  know,  what  I  am  going  to  do  is 
dangerous,  and  may  easily  cost  my  life.  I  do  not  blind  my 
eyes  to  it ;  I  may  lose  my  life  in  either  of  two  ways.  A  bullet 
may  strike  me  in  battle  ;  or,  if  my  life  should  be  spared  in  the 
struggle,  and  if  we  should  be  defeated,  the  Bavarians  would 
treat  me  as  a  traitor  ;  and  then  a  bullet  would  strike  me  also, 
for  they  would  shoot  me." 

"  Oh,  Jesus  Maria  !  my  Andy,"  cried  Gertrude,  taking 
Hofer's  head  in  her  hands,  as  if  to  protect  it  from  the  murder- 
ous bullets. 

*'  I  do  not  say  that  this  will  occur  ;  I  say  only  that  it  may 
occur,"  said  Andreas,  with  a  gentle  smile.  "  I  wish  to  tell  you 
only  that  I  am  fully  alive  to  the  dangers  threatening  me  when 
I  step  to-morrow  morning  out  of  my  street-door,  and  enter 


HOFER'S  FAREWELL  TO  HIS   WIFE. 


'TIS  TIME!  103 

upon  the  duties  of  the  position  which  they  have  conferred  on 
me  ;  for  I  am  to  command  the  peasants  of  the  Passeyr  valley 
and  direct  the  insurrection  in  all  this  part  of  the  country. 
Therefore,  I  asked  God  and  my  conscience  whether  or  not 
I  did  right  in  taking  upon  myself  so  responsible  a  task, 
and  plunging  inv  family,  perhaps,  into  grief  and  distress. 
But  do  you  know  what  both  of  them  replied  to  me  ?  They 
said  :  '  It  is  your  duty  to  love  your  wife  and  your  children  ; 
but  you  must  also  love  your  emperor  and  your  country  ;  and 
when  the  latter  call  you  and  say,  "  Come,  we  need  your  arm 
and  assistance."  you  must,  as  an  honest  man,  obey  the  call,  go 
to  them,  and  leave  your  family  ;  for  to  love  the  fatherland  is 
every  man's  highest  honor,  and  to  be  loyal  and  devoted  to 
the  emperor  is  the  first  duty  of  every  Tyrolese.'  God  and  my 
conscience  spoke  to  me  thus  in  my  breast,  and  now  I  ask  you 
too,  dear  wife— I  ask  you  before  God  and  your  conscience — 
would  you  like  your  husband  not  to  obey  the  emperor's  call,  but 
stay  at  home,  while  his  brave  brethren  and  friends  are  taking 
the  field  to  defend  the  country  and  expel  the  Bavarians  ? " 

"No,  indeed,  Andy,  I  would  not,"  cried  Gertrude,  in  dis- 
may ;  "  I  should  never  dare  again  to  lift  my  eyes  before  any- 
body ;  I  should  not  even  venture  to  pray  to  the  Holy  Virgin 
and  to  God,  for,  as  both  gave  up  their  divine  Son,  so  an  honest 
woman  must  give  up  her  husband  for  the  sake  of  the  father- 
land." 

Andreas  laid  his  hand  on  his  wife's  head  as  if  to  bless  her. 
"  It  is  as  you  say,  Gertrude,''  he  said,  solemnly.  "  For  the  sake 
of  the  fatherland  and  the  emperor  you  must  give  up  your  hus- 
band, and  your  children  their  father  ;  and  we  are  not  allowed 
to  shut  our  ears  in  order  not  to  hear  that  the  dear  Tyrol  and 
the  good  Emperor  Francis  have  called  me.  I  have  heard  the 
call,  and  must  obey  it.  I  shall  do  so  joyously  and  readily,  and 
yet  my  heart  grieves,  and  there  is  in  my  breast  here  something 
telling  me  that  our  happiness  is  at  an  end,  that  our  sun  has 
set,  and — Gertrude,  I  am  not  ashamed  of  it — I  weep  ! " 

He  leaned  his  head  against  his  wife's  shoulder,  and,  folding 
her  to  his  heart,  sobbed  aloud.  But  this  lasted  only  a  short 
time  ;  then  he  raised  himself  again,  and  drew  his  hand  quickly 
across  his  eyes. 


104  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"There,"  he  said,  "it  is  all  over  now.  I  wept  as  a  good 
Christian  is  surely  allowed  to  do  when  he  takes  leave  of  his 
wife  and  his  children,  and  gives  them  up  for  the  sake  of  his 
country.  Did  not  Abraham  weep  too,  and  beg  God  for  mercy, 
when  he  was  to  sacrifice  his  son  to  the  Almighty  ?  But  he 
nevertheless  was  ready  to  make  the  sacrifice.  And,  like  Abra- 
ham, I  have  wept  and  lamented  now,  but  I  shall  make  the 
sacrifice. — Here  I  am,  my  God,"  he  added,  lifting  his  eyes  and 
hands  to  Heaven  ;  "  here  I  am,  for  Thou  hast  called  me.  Do 
with  me  as  thou  deemest  best.  I  am  nothing  but  Thy  faith- 
ful servant ;  but  if  Thou  wishest  to  use  me  for  Thy  great  pur- 
poses, do  so  !  I  offer  Thee  my  arms,  my  body,  and  my  life  ! 
Take  them  ! " 

"  But  thou,  Holy  Virgin,"  murmured  Gertrude,  "  and  thou 
Saint  George,  our  patron  saint,  stretch  out  your  arms  over 
him  graciously  and  protect  my  Andy.  Bear  in  mind  that  he 
is  my  most  precious  treasure  on  earth  !  Preserve  my  dear 
husband  to  me,  and  to  my  children  the  father  whom  they  love 
so  ardently  ! " 

"  Amen  ! "  exclaimed  Andreas.  "  And  now,  dearest  wife, 
come  and  give  me  a  kiss,  a  parting  kiss  ! '' 

"  You  do  not  intend  to  set  out  this  very  night  ? "  asked 
Gertrude,  anxiously. 

"  No,  Gertrude,  but  still  it  is  a  parting  kiss.  For  hence- 
forth I  must  become  another  man — a  hard  man,  who  will  no 
longer  think  of  his  family,  but  only  of  the  fatherland  and  the 
emperor.  I  wept  a  few  minutes  ago  as  a  good  father  and 
husband,  but  now  I  must  become  as  hard  as  a  good  soldier 
ought  to  be.  Until  the  Bavarians  have  been  expelled  from 
the  country,  I  shall  no  longer  think  of  you  and  the  children, 
but  shall  be  only  a  brave  and  intrepid  soldier  of  my  lord  and 
emperor,  and  the  commander  of  the  Passeyr  militia.  Kiss 
me,  therefore,  a  last  time,  Anna  Gertrude  !  There  !  Give  me 
another  kiss  !  Who  knows  but  it  may  be  the  last  time  you 
will  ever  kiss  me,  dear  Gertrude  ?  And  here  is  still  another 
kiss  for  our  girls.  Now  it  is  enough.  Go  to  bed  now,  Ger- 
trude, and  pray  for  me." 

"  You  will  not  go  to  bed,  Andy  ? "  asked  Gertrude,  anx- 
iously. 


'TIS  TIME!  105 

"  No,  I  will  not,  Anna  Gertrude.  I  have  business  to  attend 
to  in  the  yard  with  Joe,  our  laborer.  We  will  kill  the  brin- 
dled cow." 

"  What  ?    This  very  night  ? " 

"This  very  night.  We  need  the  blood  and  meat.  We 
shall  pour  the  blood  into  the  Passeyr,  and  you  will  see  to-mor- 
row that  we  need  the  meat,  for  I  believe  we  shall  have  a  great 
many  guests  in  the  morning." 

Andreas  Hofer's  prophecy  was  fulfilled.  Already  early  in 
the  morning  a  great  many  men  assembled  in  front  of  the  inn 
Zum  Sand.  They  were  the  sharpshooters  of  the  Passeyr  val- 
ley, who  were  nocking  from  all  parts  of  the  district  to  Hofer's 
house  to  report  to  the  beloved  commander  of  Passeyr.  They 
came  down  from  the  mountains  and  up  from  the  valleys. 
They  wore  their  holiday  dresses,  and  their  yellow  Sunday  hats 
were  decorated  with  bouquets  of  rosemary  and  handsome  rib- 
bons. They  were  merry  and  in  the  best  of  spirits,  as  if  they 
were  going  to  the  dance  ;  only  instead  of  their  rosy-cheeked 
girls,  they  held  their  trusty  rifles  in  their  arms.  Nevertheless, 
they  smacked  their  lips,  uttered  loud  exclamations  of  joy,  and 
shouted  as  merrily  as  larks — "  'Tis  time  !  The  Bavarians 
must  leave  the  country  !  Long  live  the  emperor  !  Long  live 
the  Archduke  John  ! " 

And  echo  seemed  to  answer,  "The  Bavarians  must  leave 
the  country  ! "  But  it  was  not  echo  that  had  repeated  these 
words.  They  proceeded  from  the  throats  of  merry  men,  and 
a  gay  procession  descended  now  from  the  mountain-path.  It 
consisted  of  the  sharpshooters  and  peasants  of  Meran  and 
Algund,  who  were  marching  up  in  the  beautiful  costumes  of 
the  Adige  valley.  Oh,  how  their  eyes  flashed,  and  the  rifles  in 
their  arms  also.  And  with  what  jubilant  Jodlers  the  men  of 
Passeyr  received  their  dear  friends  from  Algund  and  Meran. 

All  at  once  every  sound  was  hushed,  for  in  the  door  of  the 
inn  appeared  Andreas  Hofer,  looking  like  a  king  in  his  hand- 
some holiday  attire  ;  his  good-natured,  honest  face  gleamed 
with  joy,  and  his  glance  was  mild  and  clear,  and  yet  so  firm 
and  commanding.  His  whole  bearing  breathed  calm  dignity, 
and  it  seemed  to  the  men  of  Passeyr  as  though  the  morning 
sun  which  illuminated  his  face  surrounded  his  head  with  a 


106  ANDREAS  HOFER 

golden  halo.  They  stood  aside  with  timid  reverence  and  awe. 
Hofer  advanced  into  the  middle  of  the  circle  which  the  men 
of  Passeyr,  Meran,  and  Algund  formed  around  him.  He  then 
looked  around  and  greeted  the  men  on  all  sides  with  a  smile, 
a  pleasant  nod,  and  a  wave  of  his  hand. 

"My  friends,"  he  exclaimed  in  a  loud  voice,  "the  day  has 
come  when  we  must  expel  the  Bavarians  from  the  country 
and  restore  the  Tyrol  to  the  Austrians.  'Tis  time  !  The  Bava- 
rians have  amply  deserved  such  treatment  at  our  hands,  for 
they  hare  sorely  oppressed  us.  When  you  had  finished  a 
wooden  image,  could  you  carry  it  to  Vienna  and  sell  it  ?  No, 
you  could  not !  Is  that  freedom  ?  You  are  Tyrol ese ;  at  least 
your  fathers  called  themselves  so ;  now  you  are  to  call  your- 
selves Bavarians.  And,  moreover,  our  ancient  castle  of  Tyrol 
in  the  Passeyr  valley  was  not  spared  !  Are  you  satisfied  with 
this  ?  If  you  harvest  three  blades  of  corn,  the  government 
claims  two  of  them;  is  that  happiness  and  prosperity?  But 
there  is  a  Providence  and  there  are  angels  ;  and  it  was  re- 
vealed to  me  that  if  we  resolved  to  avenge  our  wrongs,  God 
and  St.  George,  our  patron  saint,  would  help  us.  Up,  then, 
against  the  Bavarians  !  Tear  the  villains  with  your  teeth 
while  they  stand ;  but  when  they  kneel  down  and  pray,  give 
them  quarter.  Up  against  the  Bavarians  !  'Tis  time!" 

"  Up  against  the  Bavarians  !  'tis  time  ! ''  shouted  all  the 
brave  men,  enthusiastically;  and  the  mountain  echoes  an- 
swered :  "  Up  against  the  Bavarians  !  'tis  time  ! " 

And  the  blood-red  waters  of  the  Passeyr  carried  down  into 
ihe  valley  the  message :  "  Up  against  the  Bavarians !  'tis 
time ! " 


CHAPTER  X. 

ANTHONY  WALLNER  OF  WINDISCH-MATREY. 

AN  unusual  commotion  reigned  in  the  market-place  of 
Windisch-Matrey  on  the  afternoon  of  the  9th  of  April.  The 
men  and  youths  of  Windisch-Matrey  and  its  environs  were 
assembled  there  in  dense  groups,  and  thronged  in  constantly- 


ANTHONY   WALLNER   OF   WINDISCH-MATREY. 

increasing  masses  round  the  house  of  the  innkeeper  Anthony 
Aichberger,  called  Wallner.  The  women,  too,  had  left  their 
houses  and  huts,  and  hastened  to  the  market-place.  Their 
faces  were  as  threatening  as  those  of  the  men ;  their  eyes  shot 
fire,  and  their  whole  bearing  betokened  unusual  excitement. 
Everywhere  loud  and  vehement  words  were  uttered,  clinched 
fists  were  raised  menacingly,  and  glances  of  secret  understand- 
ing were  exchanged. 

The  liveliest  scene,  however,  took  place  in  the  large  bar- 
room of  the  inn.  The  foremost  men  of  the  whole  district, 
strong,  well-built  forms,  with  defiant  faces  and  courageous 
bearing,  had  assembled  there  around  Anthony  Wallner-Aich- 
berger.  They  spoke  but  little,  but  sat  on  the  benches  against 
the  walls  of  the  room,  and  stared  into  their  glasses,  which 
Eliza,  Wallner's  eldest  daughter,  filled  again  and  again  with 
beer.  Even  the  young  girl,  who  was  usually  so  gay  and 
spirited,  seemed  to-day  sad  and  dejected.  Formerly  her  merry 
laughter  and  clear,  ringing  voice  were  heard  everywhere;  to- 
day she  was  moody  and  taciturn.  Formerly  her  cheeks  glowed 
like  purple  roses,  a  charming  arch  expression  played  around 
her  beautiful  small  mouth,  and  the  fire  and  spirit  of  youth 
beamed  from  her  large  black  eyes  ;  to-day,  only  a  faint  crim- 
son tinged  Eliza's  cheeks,  her  lips  were  firmly  compressed,  and 
her  eyes  were  dim  and  lustreless.  From  time  to  time,  while 
waiting  on  the  guests,  she  cast  an  anxious,  searching  glance 
through  the  windows  over  the  market-place,  and  seemed  to 
listen  to  the  hum  of  voices,  which  often  became  as  deafening 
as  the  wild  roar  of  the  storm,  and  shook  the  window-panes. 

Anthony  Wallner,  her  father,  was  likewise  grave  and 
anxious,  and  in  walking  to  the  groups  of  guests  seated  on  the 
benches  here  and  there,  he  glanced  uneasily  toward  the  win- 
dows. 

"  It  may  be  that  they  will  not  come,  after  all,  Tony,  and 
that  the  Viennese  have  fooled  you,"  whispered  old  Thurn- 
walden  from  Meran  to  him. 

"  I  cannot  comprehend  it,"  sighed  Anthony  Wallner.  ''  The 
insurrection  was  to  break  out  on  the  9th  of  April,  and  the  Aus- 
trian troops  were  to  cross  the  frontier  on  that  day ;  and  this 
was  the  reason  why  we  have  hitherto  resisted  the  conscription 


108  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

and  refused  to  pay  the  new  taxes.  But  the  9th  of  April  has 
come  now,  and  we  have  received  no  message  from  Hofer  or 
the  Austrians." 

"And  to-day  the  time  which  the  Bavarians  have  given  us 
is  up,"  growled  George  Hinnthal;  "if  our  young  lads  do  not 
report  voluntarily  to  the  enrolling  officers  by  this  evening, 
they  will  be  arrested  to-morrow." 

"  They  shall  not  be  arrested,"  exclaimed  one  of  the  Tyrolese, 
striking  the  table  with  his  powerful  fist. 

"  No,  they  shall  not  be  arrested,"  echoed  all,  in  loud,  defiant 
tones. 

"  But  you  will  not  be  able  to  prevent  them,"  said  old  Thurn- 
walden,  when  all  were  silent  again  and  had  drunk  a  long 
draught  from  their  glasses  as  if  to  confirm  their  words.  "  You 
know  there  is  a  whole  company  of  soldiers  at  Castle  Weissen- 
stein,  and  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  the  castellan's  nephew,  is 
their  captain.  He  is  a  Bavarian,  body  and  soul,  and,  if  we 
resist  the  authorities,  he  will  lead  his  men  with  muskets  and 
field- pieces  against  us." 

"  Why,  you  have  become  greatly  discouraged,  Caspar  Thurn- 
walden,"  said  Anthony  Wallner,  sneeringly,  "  and  one  would 
almost  think  you  had  turned  a  friend  of  the  Bavarians.  We 
have  got  as  good  muskets  as  the  Bavarians,  and  if  they  shoot 
we  shall  shoot  back.  And  as  for  the  field-pieces,  why,  we  have 
got  wheels  and  may  roll  down  cannon  from  Castle  Weissen- 
stein  to  Windisch-Matrey.  But  come,  my  dear  friends,  I  see 
the  Bavarian  tax-collectors  walking  across  the  market-place 
yonder.  They  look  very  grim  and  stern,  as  if  they  meant  to 
devour  us  all.  Let  us  go  out  and  see  what  is  going  on." 

The  men  rose  as  if  obeying  a  military  order,  and  followed 
Anthony  Wallner  from  the  room  to  the  market-place.  Eliza 
Wallner  was  for  a  moment  alone  in  the  room ;  and  now  that 
she  had  no  longer  to  fear  the  eyes  of  the  guests,  she  sank  quite 
exhausted  on  a  chair  and  buried  her  face  in  her  trembling 
hands. 

"  What  am  I  to  do  ? "  she  murmured  in  a  low  voice.  "  Oh, 
God  in  heaven,  would  I  could  die  this  very  hour  ! " 

"  Why  do  you  weep,  Lizzie  ? "  asked  a  gentle  voice  by  her 
side,  and,  on  looking  up,  Eliza  beheld  the  grave,  sympathetic 


ANTHONY    WALLNER   OF   WINDISCH-MATREY.          109 

face  of  her  mother,  who  had  just  entered  the  room  without  be- 
ing heard  by  her.  Eliza  sprang  up  and  embraced  her  mother 
with  passionate  tenderness.  "Dearest  mamma,"  she  whis- 
pered, "  I  am  afraid. " 

"  Afraid  of  what  ? "  asked  her  mother,  in  a  low  voice.  "  Are 
you  afraid  the  Austrians  may  not  come,  and  the  Bavarians 
may  then  imprison  your  dear  father,  because  they  have  found 
out  that  he  has  instigated  the  people  to  disobey  their  behests  ? " 

"No,"  said  Eliza,  blushing  with  shame,  "no,  that  is  not 
what  I  am  afraid  of.  They  will  not  dare  to  arrest  my  dear 
father,  for  they  know  full  well  that  the  people  of  the  whole 
district  are  greatly  attached  to  him,  and  that  the  men  of  the 
whole  Puster  valley  would  rise  to  deliver  Anthony  Wallner. 
It  is  something  else,  dearest  mother  ;  come  with  me  into  the 
chamber  ;  there  I  will  tell  you  all/' 

She  drew  her  mother  hastily  into  the  chamber  adjoining 
the  bar-room  and  closed  the  door  after  her. 

"  Mother."  she  said,  tremblingly  and  breathlessly,  "  listen 
to  me  now.  I  am  sure  the  Austrians  are  coming,  and  if  the 
men  outside  hear  of  it,  they  will  kill  all  the  Bavarians." 

"  Let  them  do  it,"  said  her  mother  composedly  ;  "  the 
mean,  sneaking  Bavarians  have  certainly  deserved  to  be 
killed  after  the  infamous  treatment  we  have  endured  at  their 
hands." 

"  But,  mother,  there  are  also  good  men  among  them,"  ex- 
claimed Eliza.  "  You  know  very  well  I  am  a  loyal  Tyrolese 
girl,  and  love  my  emperor  dearly,  for  you  have  taught  me 
from  my  earliest  youth  that  it  was  incumbent  on  me  to  do  so. 
But,  mother,  there  are  also  good  men  among  the  Bavarians. 
There  is,  for  instance,  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  up  at  Castle 
Weissenstein.  You  know  his  cousin  has  always  treated  me  as 
a  sister  ;  we  have  grown  up  together,  and  I  was  allowed  to 
participate  in  her  lessons  and  learn  what  she  learned.  We 
were  always  together,  and  even  now  I  have  not  ceased  going 
to  Castle  Weissenstein,  although  it  is  garrisoned  by  a  detach- 
ment of  Bavarian  soldiers.  Father  himself  wished  me  to  go 
to  the  young  lady  as  heretofore,  for  he  said  it  would  look  sus- 
picious if  I  should  stay  away  all  of  a  sudden.  Therefore  I 
went  to  see  my  dear  friend  .Eliza  von  Hohenberg  every  day, 


110  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

and  I  always  met  there  her  cousin,  the  captain  of  the  Bavarian 
soldiers.  He  is  a  very  kind-hearted  and  merry  gentleman, 
mother,  and  it  is  no  fault  of  his  that  he  is  a  Bavarian.  His 
father,  our  castellan's  brother,  has  lived  for  thirty  years  past 
down  at  Munich,  and  his  son  entered  the  Bavarian  service 
long  before  he  knew  that  we  people  of  Windisch-Matrey  de- 
sire to  become  Austrian  subjects  again.  Now  his  general  sent 
him  hither  with  his  soldiers  for  the  purpose  of  helping  the 
officers  to  collect  the  taxes  and  enroll  the  names  of  our  young 
men.  Is  he  to  blame  for  the  necessity  he  is  under  of  obeying 
the  orders  of  his  general  ? " 

"  No,  he  is  not.''  said  her  mother,  gravely. 

"  But  when  the  Austrians  come  now,  and  my  father  and 
the  other  men  rise,  and  expel  and  kill  the  Bavarians,  they  will 
kill  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  too,  although  it  is  not  his  fault 
that  he  is  a  Bavarian.  Oh,  dearest  mamma,  he  is  such  a  good, 
kind-hearted  young  man  !  he  is  my  dear  Eliza's  cousin  and 
our  castellan's  nephew,  and  you  know  how  well  Eliza  and  her 
father  have  treated  me,  and  that  they  take  care  of  me,  when- 
ever I  am  at  the  castle,  as  though  I  were  the  castellan's  own 
child.  Dearest  mamma,  shall  we  permit  our  men  to  kill  the 
nephew  of  our  excellent  castellan  ? " 

"No,  we  will  not,  Lizzie,"  said  her  mother,  resolutely. 
"  Quick,  run  up  the  footpath  leading  to  the  castle.  Tell  the 
young  officer  that  the  Tyrolese  are  going  to  deliver  themselves 
from  the  Bavarian  yoke,  and  that  he  had  better  effect  his  es- 
cape while  there  is  time." 

"  Mother,  he  will  not  do  it,  for  he  is  a  brave  young  man  ! " 
sighed  Eliza;  "and  then — I  cannot  betray  father's  secret  to 
him.  If  the  Austrians  did  not  come  after  all,  and  I  had  told 
Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  what  father  and  the  other  Tyrolese 
intend  to  do,  would  I  not  be  a  traitress,  and  would  not  father 
curse  me  ? " 

"  True,  true,  that  will  not  do,"  said  her  mother  musingly  ; 
"  your  father  would  never  forgive  you.  But  I  know  what  you 
must  do.  Just  run  up  to  the  castle  and  act  as  though  you 
wished  only  to  pay  a  visit  to  your  friend  Eliza  ;  no  one  knows 
as  yet  what  is  going  to  occur.  None  of  your  friends  have  dis- 
closed the  secret ;  and  the  castellan  too,  though  I  think  he  is 


ANTHONY   WALLNER  OF   W1NDISCH-MATREY.         HI 

a  good  Austrian  at  heart,  does  not  yet  know  any  thing  about 
it.  Your  father  told  me  so  this  very  morning.  You  will 
remain  at  the  castle,  and  so  soon  as  you  hear  the  report  of  a 
ritte  on  the  market-place  here,  you  will  know  that  the  insur- 
rection is  breaking  out.  There  is  father's  rifle  ;  when  it  is 
time.  1  will  step  out  of  the  back  gate  with  it  and  shoot.  You 
will  hear  the  report,  and  tell  the  young  officer  that  the  Tyro- 
lese  are  going  to  rise,  and  that  he  had  better  conceal  himself 
until  the  first  rage  of  the  insurgents  has  blown  over." 

"  Yes,  I  will  do  so,"  exclaimed  Eliza  ;  "  I  will  run  up  to 
the  castle  now.  Good-by,  dearest  mamma." 

She  imprinted  a  kiss  on  the  hand  of  her  mother,  and  then 
sped  away  as  gracefully  as  a  young  roe. 

"She  is  a  very  good  girl,"  said  her  mothe?1,  looking  after 
her  smilingly,  "and  has  a  soft  and  compassionate  heart.  She 
wishes  to  save  the  castellan's  nephew  merely  because  she 
pities  the  young  man  who  is  exposed  to  such  imminent  dan- 
ger. It  is  very  kind  of  her  !  It —  But,  Holy  Virgin  !  what 
is  the  matter  outside  ?  Is  the  outbreak  to  commence  already  ? 
I  believe  it  is  my  Tony  who  is  talking  outside  in  so  loud  a  voice. 
I  must  go  and  hear  what  is  the  matter." 

She  hastened  through  the  bar-roora  to  the  street-door  open- 
ing upon  the  market  place. 

Yes,  it  was  Anthony  Wallner-Aichberger  who  was  gesticu- 
lating so  violently  yonder.  Round  him  stood  the  men  of 
Windisch-Matrey,  looking  with  gloomy  faces  at  the  three 
Bavarian  revenue  officers  who  were  standing  in  front  of  Wall- 
ner. 

"  I  repeat  it,  sir,''  exclaimed  Anthony  Wallner  at  this  mo- 
ment with  an  air  of  mock  gravity,  "  that  we  are  all  very  loyal 
and  obedient  subjects,  and  that  it  is  wrong  in  you,  Mr.  Tax- 
collector,  to  call  us  stubborn,  seditious  fellows.  If  we  were 
such,  would  we  not,  being  so  numerous  here,  punish  you  and 
your  two  officers  for  speaking  of  us  so  contemptuously  and 
disrespectfully  ? " 

"  You  know  full  well  that,  at  a  wave  of  my  hand,  the  com- 
pany of  soldiers  will  rush  down  from  Castle  Weissenstein  and 
shoot  you  all  as  traitors  and  rebels,"  said  the  tax-collector 
haughtily. 


112  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Tax-collector,"  exclaimed  Wallner,  smilingly, 
"  as  for  the  shooting,  we  are  likewise  well  versed  in  that.  We 
are  first-rate  marksmen,  we  Tyrolese  ! " 

"  What !  "  cried  the  tax-collector,  furiously,  "  do  you  speak 
again  of  Tyrolese  ?  Did  I  not  forbid  you  to  call  yourselves 
so  ?  You  are  no  Tyrolese,  hut  inhabitants  of  South-Bavaria, 
do  you  hear  ?  His  majesty  the  King  of  Bavaria  does  not  want 
any  Tyrolese  as  subjects,  but  only  Southern  Bavarians,  as  I 
have  told  you  twice  already."  * 

"  Very  well ;  if  his  majesty  does  not  want  any  Tyrolese  as 
subjects,  you  need  not  tell  us  so  more  than  once,"  exclaimed 
Anthony  Wallner.  "He  prefers  Southern  Bavarians,  does 
he  ?  Bear  that  in  mind,  Tyrolese  ;  the  King  of  Bavaria  wants 
only  Southern  Bavarians." 

"  We  will  bear  that  in  mind,"  shouted  the  Tyrolese  ;  and 
loud,  scornful  laughter  rolled  like  threatening  thunder  across 
the  market-place. 

"  You  laugh,"  exclaimed  the  tax-collector,  endeavoring  to 
stifle  his  rage  ;  "  I  am  glad  you  are  so  merry.  To-morrow, 
perhaps,  you  will  laugh  no  longer  ;  for  I  tell  you,  if  you  do 
not  pay  to  day  the  fine  imposed  on  you,  I  shall  have  it  forci- 
bly collected  by  the  soldiers  at  daybreak  to-morrow  morning." 

"  We  must  really  pay  the  fine,  then  ? "  asked  Anthony 
Wallner,  with  feigned  timidity.  "  You  will  not  relent,  then, 
Mr.  Tax-collector  ?  We  really  must  pay  the  heavy  fine,  be- 
cause we  had  a  little  fun  the  other  day  ?  For  you  must  say 
yourself,  sir,  we  really  did  no  wrong." 

u  You  did  no  wrong  ?  You  were  in  open  insurrection.  On 
the  birthday  of  your  gracious  master  the  king,  instead  of  hang- 
ing out  Bavarian  flags,  as  you  had  been  ordered,  you  hung  out 
Austrian  flags  everywhere." 

"  No,  Mr.  Tax-collector,  you  did  not  see  right ;  we  hung 
out  none  but  Bavarian  flags." 

"  That  is  false  !  I  myself  walked  through  the  whole  place, 
and  saw  every  thing  with  my  own  eyes.  Your  flags  did  not 
contain  the  Bavarian  colors,  blue  and  white,  but  black  and 
yellow,  the  Austrian  colors." 

"  Possibly  they  may  have  looked  so,"  exclaimed  Anthony 
*  See  "  Gallery  of  Heroes  :  Life  of  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  15. 


ANTHONY   WALLNER   OF   WINDISCH-MATREY.          H3 

Wallner,  "  but  that  was  not  our  fault.  The  flags  were  our  old 
Bavarian  flags  :  but  they  were  already  somewhat  old,  the  blue 
was  faded  and  looked  like  yellow,  and  the  white  had  become 
quite  dirty  and  looked  like  black." 

"  Thunder  and  lightning  !  Wallner  is  right,"  exclaimed 
the  Tyrolese,  bursting  into  loud  laughter.  "  The  flags  were 
our  old  Bavarian  flags,  but  they  were  faded  and  dirty." 

The  young  lads,  who  had  hitherto  stood  in  groups  around 
the  outer  edge  of  the  market-place,  now  mingled  with  the 
crowd  to  listen  to  the  speakers  ;  and  a  young  Tyrolese,  with 
his  rifle  on  his  arm,  and  bis  pointed  hat  over  his  dark  curly 
hair,  approached  with  such  impetuous  curiosity  that  he  sud- 
denly stood  close  to  the  tax-collector.  However,  he  took  no 
notice  of  the  officer,  but  looked  with  eager  attention  at  Wall- 
ner, and  listened  to  his  words. 

But  the  grim  eyes  of  one  of  the  two  bailiffs  noticed  with 
dismay  that  this  impudent  fellow  dared  to  place  himself  close 
by  the  side  of  the  tax-collector  without  taking  off  his  hat. 
Striking  with  his  fist  on  the  young  fellow's  hat,  he  drove  it 
deep  over  his  forehead. 

u  Villain  ! "  he  shouted,  in  a  threatening  voice,  "  do  you 
not  see  the  tax-collector  ? " 

The  young  fellow  drew  the  hat  with  an  air  of  embarrass- 
ment from  his  forehead,  and  crimsoning  with  rage,  but  in 
silence,  stepped  back  into  the  circle  of  the  murmuring  men. 

"  That  is  just  what  you  deserve,  Joe,"  said  Anthony  Wall- 
ner. "Why  did  a  smart  Tyrolese  boy  like  you  come  near 
us  Southern  Bavarians  when  we  were  talking  about  public 
affairs?" 

At  this  moment  a  lad  elbowed  himself  hastily  through  tht 
crowd.  His  dress  was  dusty,  his  face  was  flushed  and  heated, 
and  it  seemed  as  though  he  had  travelled  many  miles  on  foot. 
To  those  who  stood  in  his  way  he  said  in  a  breathless,  panting 
voice  :  "  Please  stand  aside.  I  have  to  deliver  something  to 
Anthony  Wallner- Aichberger  ;  I  must  speak  with  him." 

The  men  willingly  stood  aside.  Now  he  was  close  behind 
Wallner,  and.  interrupting  him  in  his  speech,  he  whispered  to 
him  :  "  I  come  from  Andreas  Hofer  ;  he  sends  you  his  greet- 
ings and  this  paper.  I  have  run  all  night  to  bring  it  to  you." 


AITDREAS  HOFEK. 

He  handed  a  folded  paper  to  Wallner,  who  opened  it  with 
hands  trembling  with  impatience. 

It  was  Andreas  Hofer's  "  open  order." 

Wallner's  face  brightened  up,  he  cast  a  fiery  glance  around 
the  place  filled  with  his  friends,  and  fixed  his  flashing  eyes 
then  on  the  hat  of  the  bailiff  who  had  rebuked  the  young 
Tyrolese  in  so  overbearing  a  manner.  At  a  bound  he  was  by 
his  side,  drove  the  bailiff's  round  official  hat  with  one  blow  of 
his  fist  over  his  head,  so  that  his  whole  face  disappeared  in  the 
crown,  and  exclaimed  in  a  loud,  ringing  voice  : 

"  Villain  !  do  you  not  see  the  Tyrolese  ? " 

A  loud  outburst  of  exultation  greeted  Wallner's  bold  deed, 
and  all  the  men  crowded  around  him,  ready  to  protect  An- 
thony Wallner,  and  looking  at  the  tax-collector  with  flashing, 
threatening  eyes. 

The  latter  seemed  as  if  stunned  by  the  sudden  change  in 
Wallner's  demeanor,  and  he  looked  in  dismay  at  the  audacious 
innkeeper  who  was  standing  close  in  front  of  him  and  staring 
at  him  with  a  laughing  face. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ? "  he  asked  at  length,  in  a  tremu- 
lous voice. 

.  u  It  means  that  we  want  to  be  Tyrolese  again,"  shouted 
Antbony  Wallner.  exultingly.  ''  It  means  that  we  will  no 
longer  submit  to  brutal  treatment  at  the  hands  of  your  Bava- 
rian bailiffs,  and  that  we  will  treat  you  now  as  you  Boafoks  * 
have  treated  us  for  five  years  past." 

"For  God's  sake,  how  have  we  treated  you, then  ?"  asked 
the  tax-collector,  drawing  back  from  the  threatening  face  of 
Anthony  Wallner  toward  his  bailiffs. 

u  Listen  to  me,  Tyrolese,"  shouted  Anthony  Wallner,  scorn- 
fully, "  he  asks  me  how  the  Bavarians  have  treated  us  !  Shall 
I  tell  it  to  him  once  more  ? " 

"  Yes,  yes,  Tony,  do  so,"  replied  the  Tyrolese  on  all  sides. 
u  Tell  it  to  him,  and  if  he  refuses  to  listen,  we  will  tie  him 
hand  and  foot,  and  compel  him  to  hear  what  you  say." 

"  Well,  Mr.  Tax-collector."  said  Wallner,  with  mock  polite- 
ness, "  I  will  tell  you,  then,  how  you  Bavarians  have  treated 

*  Boafoks,  the  nickname  which  the  Tyrolese  gave  to  the  Bavarians  at  that 
time.  It  signifies  "  Bavarian  pigs." 


ANTHONY    WALLNER   OF   WINDISCH-MATREY.          H5 

us  for  four  years  past,  and  only  when  you  know  all  our  griev- 
ances will  we  settle  our  accounts.  Listen,  then,  to  what  you 
have  done  to  us,  and  what  we  complain  of.  You  have  be- 
haved toward  us  as  perjured  liars  and  scoundrels,  and  I  will 
prove  it  to  you.  In  the  first  place,  then,  in  1805,  when,  to  our 
intense  grief  and  regret,  our  emperor  was  obliged  to  cede  the 
Tyrol  to  Bavaria,  the  King  of  Bavaria,  in  a  letter  which  he 
wrote  to  us,  solemnly  guaranteed  our  constitution  and  our 
ancient  privileges  and  liberties.  That  is  what  your  king  prom- 
ised in  1805.  To  be  sure,  we  did  not  put  much  confidence  in 
what  he  said,  for  we  well  knew  that  when  the  hig  cat  wants 
to  devour  the  little  mouse,  it  treats  the  victim  at  first  with 
great  kindness  and  throws  a  small  bit  of  bacon  to  it ;  but 
no  sooner  does  the  mouse  take  it  than  the  cat  pounces  upon  its 
unsuspecting  victim  and  devours  it.  And  such  was  our  fate 
too  ;  the  cat  Bavaria  wanted  to  swallow  the  little  mouse  Tyrol ; 
not  even  our  name  was  to  be  left  to  us,  and  we  were  to  be 
called  Southern  Bavarians  instead  of  Tyrolese.  Besides,  our 
ancient  Castle  of  Tyrol,  the  sacred  symbol  of  our  country,  was 
dismantled  and  destroyed.  You  thought  probably  we  would 
forget  the  past  and  the  history  of  the  Tyrol,  and  all  that  we 
are,  if  we  no  longer  saw  the  Castle  of  Tyrol,  where  the  dear 
Margaret  Maultasch  solemnly  guaranteed  to  her  Tyrolese  their 
liberties,  great  privileges,  and  independence,  for  all  time  to 
come.  But  all  was  written  in  our  hearts,  and  your  infamous 
conduct  engraved  it  only  the  more  lastingly  thereon.  You 
took  from  us  not  only  our  name,  but  also  our  constitution, 
which  all  Tyrolese  love  as  their  most  precious  treasure.  The 
representative  estates  were  suppressed,  and  the  provincial 
funds  seized.  No  less  than  eight  new  and  oppressive  taxes 
were  imposed,  and  levied  with  the  utmost  rigor ;  the  very 
name  of  the  country,  as  I  said  before,  was  abolished ;  and, 
after  the  model  of  revolutionary  France,  the  Tyrol  was  divided 
into  the  departments  of  the  Inn,  the  Adige,  and  the  Eisach  ; 
the  passion  plays,  which  formed  so  large  a  part  of  the  amuse- 
ments of  our  people,  were  prohibited  ;  all  pilgrimages  to  chap- 
els or  places  of  extraordinary  sanctity  were  forbidden.  The 
convents  and  monasteries  were  confiscated,  and  their  estates 
sold ;  the  church  plate  and  holy  vessels  were  melted  down  and 


116  ANDREAS    HOFER. 

disposed  of  ;  the  royal  property  was  all  brought  into  the  mar- 
ket. New  imposts  were  daily  exacted  without  any  consulta- 
tion with  the  estates  of  our  people  ;  specie  became  scarce  from 
the  quantity  of  it  which  was  drawn  off  to  the  royal  treasury ; 
the  Austrian  notes  were  reduced  to  half  their  value,  and  the 
feelings  of  our  people  irritated  almost  to  madness  by  the  com- 
pulsory levy  of  our  young  men  to  serve  in  the  ranks  of  your 
army.  In  this  manner  you  tried  to  crush  us  to  earth.  But  I 
tell  you,  we  shall  rise  again,  the  whole  Tyrol  will  rise  and  no 
longer  allow  itself  to  be  trampled  under  foot.  You  say  the 
king  does  not  want  any  Tyrolese  as  subjects.  He  shall  not 
have  any,  for  the  Tyrolese  want  to  become  again  subjects  of 
their  dear  Emperor  Francis  of  Austria.  Men  of  the  Tyrol, 
from  Pusterthal,  Teffereck,  and  Virgenthal,  you  wish  to  be- 
come again  subjects  of  the  Emperor  Francis,  do  you  not  ? " 

"We  do,  we  do  !"  shouted  the  men,  uttering  deafening 
cheers.  "  Our  dear  Francis  is  to  become  again  our  lord  and 
emperor  !  Long  live  the  Emperor  Francis  ! " 

"  Silence  ! "  cried  the  tax-collector,  pale  with  rage  and  dis- 
may ;  "  silence,  or  I  shall  send  for  the  soldiers  and  have  every 
one  of  you  arrested,  and — " 

"  Be  silent  yourself  ! "  said  Anthony  Wallner,  seizing  him 
violently  by  the  arm.  "  Sir,  you  are  our  prisoner,  and  so  are  the 
two  bailiffs  yonder.  Seize  them,  my  friends,  and  if  they  shout 
or  resist,  shoot  them  down.  And  if  you  utter  a  cry  or  a  word, 
Mr.  Tax-collector,  so  help  me  God  if  I  do  not  kill  you  for  a 
Boafok,  as  you  are  !  Keep  quiet,  therefore,  be  a  sensible  man, 
and  deliver  your  funds  to  us.  Come,  men,  we  will  accompany 
this  gentleman  to  the  tax-collector's  office  ;  and  now  let  us 
sing  a  good  Tyrolese  song  : 

"  D'Schorgen  und  d'Schreiber  und  d'Richter  allsanimt, 
Sind'n  Teufel  auskomma,  druck'n  tiberall  auf's  Land, 
Und  schinden  Bauern,  es  is  karn  zum  sog'n, 
Es  war  ja  koan  Wunder,  wir  thaten's  allsammt  erschlog  n."  * 

*  Song  of  the  Tyrolese  in  1809.— See  Mayr,  "  Joseph  Speckbacher,"  p.  2& 
"  The  pushing — the  writers,  and  magistrates  all, 
Possessed  by  the  devil,  our  country  enthrall, 
^        And  grind  the  poor  peasants ;  alas,  'tis  a  shame ! 
No  wonder  if  we  too  share  ruin  the  same." 


THE   DECLARATION   OF   LOVE.  117 

He  concluded  with  a  long  and  joyous  Jodler,  and  shouted 
triumphantly  :  "  Dear  brethren,  Andreas  Hofer  sends  you  his 
greetings,  and  informs  you  that  the  Austrians  have  invaded 
the  Tyrol.  Hurrah,  'tis  time  !  " 

"  Yes,  'tis  time,"  murmured  Anna  Maria,  Anthony  Wall- 
ner's  wife,  to  herself  ;  u  'tis  time  for  me  to  give  Lizzie  the  sig- 
nal, for  the  insurrection  has  broken  out." 

She  hastened  into  the  house,  took  her  husband's  old  rifle 
from  the  chamber,  ran  with  it  out  of  the  back-door  of  the 
house,  and  fired  the  signal  for  her  daughter. 

"  There,"  she  said,  returning  quietly  into  the  house,  "  she 
will  have  heard  the  report,  and  there  is  time  yet  to  save  him. 
I  will  do  now  what  Tony  asked  me  to  do.  When  he  sings  the 
song,  I  shall  take  the  paper-balls  from  the  table-drawer  in  the 
back-room,  give  a  package  to  each  of  the  two  boys  and  two 
servant-girls,  and  tell  them  to  go  with  it  into  the  mountains 
and  circulate  the  paper-balls  everywhere,  that  the  inhabitants 
of  the  whole  Pusterthal,  from  one  end  to  the  other,  from  the 
Gross-Glockner  to  the  Venediger  and  Krimler  Tauern,  may 
learn  this  very  day  that  it  is  time,  and  that  the  Boafoks  are  to 
be  expelled  from  the  country.  Halloo,  boys,  come  here  !  Hal 
loo,  girls,  your  mistress  wants  to  speak  to  you  1 " 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  DECLARATION  OP  LOVE. 

ELIZA  WALLNER,  after  leaving  her  mother,  had  sped  with 
the  utmost  rapidity  through  the  back-door,  across  the  yard, 
through  the  garden,  out  of  the  small  gate  leading  to  the 
meadow,  down  the  foot-path,  up  the  mountain-road,  jumping 
from  stone  to  stone,  courageous  and  intrepid  as  a  true  daughter 
of  the  Tyrol.  Now  she  stood  at  the  portal  of  the  castle,  in 
front  of  which  some  of  the  Bavarian  soldiers  were  lying  in 
idle  repose  on  a  bench,  while  others  in  the  side-wing  of  the 
castle  allotted  to  them  were  looking  out  of  the  windows,  and 
dreamily  humming  a  Bavarian  song,  frequently  interrupted 
by  loud  yawns. 


118  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

Eliza  walked  past  them  with  a  slight  greeting  and  entered 
the  house.  The  old  footman  sitting  in  the  hall  received  her 
kindly,  and  told  her,  in  reply  to  her  inquiry,  that  the  castellan, 
old  Baron  von  Hohenberg,  had  set  out  early  in  the  morning- 
for  Salzburg  to  attend  court,  but  that  his  daughter  and  her 
cousin,  Captain  Ulnch  von  Hohenberg,  were  lunching  in  the 
small  dining-room  up-stairs. 

This  was  all  the  information  Eliza  needed  ;  she  nodded  to 
the  footman,  and  ascended  the  staircase  quickly.  The  old 
footman  did  not  follow  her  ;  he  knew  that  it  was  unnecessary 
for  him  to  announce  beautiful  Lizzie  to  his  mistress,  but  that 
she  always  was  welcome  to  her.  He  therefore  sat  down  again 
quietly,  and  took  up  the  wood-work  with  which  he  had  been 
occupied  before. 

Eliza  reached  the  dining-room  and  threw  open  the  door 
with  a  hasty  hand  ;  a  blissful  smile  then  overspread  her 
flushed  face,  for  on  the  balcony  yonder,  behind  the  open  glass 
door,  she  beheld  the  tall  slender  form  of  Captain  Ulrich  von 
Hohenberg.  She  heard  him  chatting  and  laughing  gayly  ; 
and  through  the  door  she  also  saw  her  friend  Elza  von  Ho- 
henberg, who  was  listening  to  her  cousin's  words  in  smiling 
repose.  Scarcely  touching  the  floor  with  her  feet,  she  hast 
ened  through  the  room. 

"  I  assure  you,  cousin,"  said  Elza  at  this  moment,  in  her 
clear,  distinct  voice,  "  I  believe  at  times  that  she  is  the  re- 
suscitated Maid  of  Orleans,  and  that  she  will  perform  heroic 
deeds  one  day.  Oh,  1  know  my  dear  beautiful  Eliza  Wallner, 
and—" 

"  Do  not  speak  of  me,  for  I  am  listening  to  you,"  exclaimed 
Eliza,  entering  the  balcony. 

"  Ah,  my  Lizzie,"  exclaimed  Elza,  rising  and  tenderly  em- 
bracing her  friend.  '"  Have  you  come  at  length,  my  merry, 
beautiful  lark  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  have,  and  I  am  glad  that  I  am  here,"  said  Eliza  ; 
and  her  large  hazel  eyes  turned  for  a  moment  smilingly  to  the 
young  officer,  who,  like  his  cousin,  had  risen  on  beholding 
Eliza  Wallner.  He  did  not  utter  a  word  of  salutation  ;  never- 
theless, Eliza  blushed  on  meeting  his  glance,  and  averted  her 
eyes  timidly  from  him,  turning  them  toward  the  distant  sum- 


THE   DECLARATION  OF  LOVE.  119 

mils  of  the  glaciers  which  were  glittering  around  the  horizon 
yonder  in  wonderful  majesty. 

"  You  are  glad  that  you  are  here,  my  sweet  child  ?  Why 
did  you  not  come  at  an  earlier  hour  ? "  asked  Elza.  "  You  are 
always  expected.  My  dear  silent  cousin,  she  is  always  ex- 
pected, is  she  not  ?  " 

"Most  assuredly  she  is,"  said  the  young  captain,  with  a 
smile  ;  ''  and  she  is  as  welcome  as  the  first  rose  of  May." 

'•  How  impudent  you  are  ! "  exclaimed  Miss  Elza,  laugh- 
ing ;  "  you  bid  my  Lizzie  welcome  as  the  first  rose  of  May,  and 
yet  I  was  here  before  her  !  " 

"He  means  only  the  wild  hedge-rose,  Elza,"  said  Eliza, 
smiling  archly,  "  for  you  know  very  well  that  the  beautiful 
and  aristocratic  roses  do  not  yet  bloom  in  May." 

'*  Well,  tell  me,  cousin,  did  you  really  intend  to  compare  my 
darling  here  with  a  wild  hedge-rose  ? "  asked  Elza. 

"  Do  not  answer,  sir,"  exclaimed  Eliza,  eagerly.  u  You  have 
blundered  in  trying  to  flatter  me,  and  that  is  good.  You  will 
see  at  length  that  fine  phrases  amount  to  nothing,  and  that 
they  are  colors  that  fade  in  the  sunshine.  You  had  better 
speak  frankly  and  honestly  to  me,  for  I  have  often  told  you 
I  am  a  stupid  daughter  of  the  Tyrol,  and  do  not  know  what  to 
reply  to  such  fine  city  phrases." 

"  But  for  all  that  you  are  not  stupid,  my  beautiful  Eliza," 
said  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg.  "  In  truth,  I  who  compare  you 
with  a  rose  am  not  a  liar,  but  he  would  be  who  should  charge 
you  with  stupidity." 

"But  if  I  should,  nevertheless,  assert  that  I  am  stupid, 
whom  would  it  concern  ? "  asked  Eliza,  defiantly. 

u  Ah,  there  they  are  quarrelling  again,"  exclaimed  Elza, 
laughing.  "  Come  to  me,  sweet  Lizzie  ;  sit  down  by  my  side 
on  this  bench  and  give  me  your  hand.  I  am  so  glad  that  you 
are  here,  for  it  always  seems  to  me  as  though  I  were  a  lonely 
orphan  when  my  dearest  Lizzie,  with  her  pretty  face  and  her 
merry  laughter,  is  absent  from  me.  But  here,  Lizzie,  yon 
must  look  upon  me  with  due  awe  to  day,  for  to-day  I  am  not 
only  your  friend  and  sister,  but  I  am — the  castellan  !  My 
father  will  be  absent  four  days,  and  I  represent  him  here.  He 
delegated  his  whole  power  to  me,  and  intrusted  me  with 


120  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

all  the  keys.  Treat  me,  therefore,  with  great  respect,  Liz- 
zie." 

"That  is  what  I  always  do,  Elza,"  said  Lizzie,  tenderly, 
pressing  the  slender  white  hand  of  her  friend  to  her  lips. 
"  You  are  always  my  better  self,  and  I  ohey  you  because  I  love 
you,  and  I  love  you  because  I  obey  you  so  gladly  ! " 

"  Well,  then,  I  command  you,  Lizzie,  to  be  our  guest  all 
day  and  stay  with  us  until  nightfall.  Oh,  no  objections,  Liz- 
zie ;  if  you  love  me,  you  must  obey  !  " 

"  And  I  obey  you  willingly,  Elza  ;  only  when  my  father 
sends  for  me,  I  must  go,  for  you  know  we  must  not  violate 
the  fourth  commandment ;  our  worthy  priest  would  never 
forgive  us." 

"  When  your  father  sends  for  you,  Eliza,  I  shall  myself  go 
down  to  him  and  beg  him  to  leave  you  here.  Well,  then,  you 
belong  to  us  for  the  whole  day,  and  we  will  consider  now  how 
we  shall  spend  this  day.  Cousin,  do  not  stand  there  in  silence 
all  the  time,  staring  at  the  glaciers,  but  look  at  us  and  propose 
quickly  some  excursion  for  us  to  make  to-day." 

"  What  could  I  propose  ? "  asked  the  young  officer,  shrug- 
ging his  shoulders. 

"  I  submit  rather  silently  and  obediently  to  your  proposals, 
for  Miss  Eliza  would  certainly  reject  all  my  proposals  merely 
because  I  make  them." 

Eliza  burst  into  merry  laughter.  "  Elza,  dearest  Elza,"  she 
exclaimed,  "  he  calls  me  '  Miss  Eliza  ! '  No,  sir,  let  me  tell  you, 
a  poor  Tyrolese  girl  like  me  is  no  '  miss,'  no  aristocratic  lady  ; 
people  call  me  Lizzie,  only  Lizzie  ;  do  not  forget  that ! " 

"People  here  call  her  ' beautiful  Lizzie,' "  said  the  officer, 
in  a  low  voice,  casting  an  admiring  glance  on  the  young  girl. 

"  That  does  not  concern  you,  sir,"  she  replied,  blushing  like 
a  crimson  rose  ;  "you  do  not  belong  to  the  people  here,  and 
you  must  not  call  me  anything  but  Lizzie,  do  you  hear  ?  I 
think  the  notions  which  city  folks  entertain  about  beauty  are 
different  from  those  of  peasants  like  us.  We  consider  the 
daisy  and  the  Alpine  rose  beautiful ;  though  they  are  but 
small  flowers,  yet  they  suit  us.  However,  the  city  folks  laugh 
at  our  taste,  and  step  recklessly  on  our  flowers.  They  con- 
sider only  the  proud  white  lilies  and  the  large  gorgeous  roses 


THE   DECLARATION   OF   LOVE. 

beautiful  flowers.  I  do  not  belong  to  them,  I  am  only  a 
daisy  ;  but  my  Elza  likes  this  daisy  and  fastens  me  to  her 
bosom,  and  I  rest  there  so  soft  and  sweetly." 

She  encircled  Elza's  neck  with  her  arms,  leaned  her  head 
against  her  breast,  and  looked  tenderly  up  to  her  with  her 
hazel  gazelle  eyes. 

Elza  bent  over  her  and  kissed  her  eyes  and  white  forehead. 
Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  looked  at  them  both  with  a  tender, 
ardent  glance  ;  then  he  averted  his  head  to  conceal  the  crim- 
son glow  suffusing  his  cheeks. 

At  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  the  castellan's  over- 
seer entered  with  an  air  of  hurry  and  self-importance. 

"  Miss  Elza,"  he  said,  "  the  wood-cutters  have  brought  wood 
and  are  waiting  for  a  receipt.  Besides,  the  head  dairy-woman 
wishes  to  see  you  about  the  butter  which  she  is  to  send  to 
town  ;  and  the  cattle-dealer  has  arrived,  and — " 

"  I  am  coming,  I  am  coming,'"  exclaimed  the  young  lady, 
laughing.  "  Do  you  see,  Lizzie,  what  an  important  person  I 
am  ?  But  for  me  the  whole  machine  would  stand  still  and 
sink  in  ruins.  Fortunately,  I  am  equal  to  the  occasion  ;  and 
set  the  wheels  in  motion,  and  the  machine  can  go  on.  You 
may  stay  here  and  consider  how  we  are  to  amuse  ourselves  to- 
day. In  the  mean  time  I  shall  regulate  our  domestic  affairs  a 
little,  and  when  I  come  back,  you  will  inform  me  what  pleas- 
ure you  have  devised  for  us  to-day." 

41  No,  Elza,  let  me  go  with  you,"  begged  Eliza,  almost  anx- 
iously, "  I  shall  assist  you — " 

"  You  cannot  help  me  outside,  Lizzie,"  said  Elza,  laughing  ; 
"  but  here  you  can  take  my  place  and  be  my  cousin  Ulrich 's 
companion.  Be  merry,  my  dear  children,  until  I  come 
back  ! " 

She  nodded  pleasantly  to  them,  took  the  large  bunch  of 
keys  from  the  table,  and  swinging  it  noisily  in  her  hand, 
skipped  through  the  room  and  out  of  the  door. 

Lizzie  had  followed  her  a  few  steps  ;  then,  as  if  arrested  by 
a  sudden  thought,  she  paused  and  returned  slowly  to  the  bal- 
cony. She  cast  a  quick  glance  on  the  officer,  who  was  leaning 
against  the  wall  on  one  side  of  the  balcony,  and,  with  his 
arms  folded  on  his  breast,  did  not  avert  his  eyes  from  her. 
9 


ANDREAS  HOFER. 

Eliza  gave  a  start  and  withdrew  to  the  other  side  of  the 
balcony.  There  she  sat  down  on  the  bench  like  a  timid  little 
bird,  and  allowed  her  eyes  to  wander  dreamily  and  thought- 
fully over  the  landscape.  And,  indeed,  the  view  which  they 
enjoyed  from  the  balcony  was  wondrously  beautiful.  On  one 
side  extended  the  splendid  valley,  with  its  meadows  clad  in 
the  freshest  verdure  of  spring,  its  foaming  white  mountain- 
torrents,  its  houses  and  huts,  which  disappeared  gradually  in 
the  violet  mists  bordering  the  horizon.  On  both  sides  of  the 
valley  rose  the  green  wooded  heights,  interspersed  here  and 
there  with  small  verdant  pastures  and  clearings,  on  which 
handsome  red  cows  were  grazing  or  lying  in  majestic  repose. 
Behind  the  clearings  black  pines  and  firs  dotted  the  slopes, 
which,  however,  in  their  more  elevated  portions  became  more 
and  more  bare  ;  where  the  trees  ceased,  appeared  here  and 
there  again  green  pastures,  and  on  them,  gray  and  small,  like 
birds'  nests,  the  huts  of  the  mountain  cow-keepers,  who,  the 
most  advanced  sentinels,  as  it  were,  were  guarding  the  fron- 
tiers where  the  war  between  nature  and  man  commences,  the 
frontiers  of  the  snowy  region  and  the  world  of  glaciers.  Be- 
hind the  cow-keepers'  huts  flashed  already  masses  of  snow 
from  several  mountain-gorges  ;  farther  above,  the  snow  had 
spread  its  white  silver  veils  far  and  wide  over  all  the  moun- 
tain-peaks, so  that  they  glittered  and  sparkled  with  indescrib- 
able beauty  in  the  bright  morning  sun,  and  loomed  like 
swans'  necks  up  to  the  azure  sky. 

Below,  in  the  foreground  of  the  vallev,  at  the  foot  of  Castle 
Weissenstein,  lay  the  village  of  Windisch-Matrey,  with  its 
scattering  groups  of  handsome  houses,  from  whose  midst 
arose  the  church,  with  its  tall,  pointed  steeple.  From  the 
standpoint  which  she  occupied,  Eliza  was  able  to  distinctly 
survey  the  market-place  and  its  crowds  of  men,  which,  in  the 
distance,  resembled  busy  black  ant-hills.  She  gazed  upon 
them  fixedly,  and  the  small  specks  seemed  to  her  practised  eye 
like  human  forms  :  she  thought  she  could  distinguish  several 
of  them,  and,  among  others,  the  tall  and  powerful  form  of  her 
father  ;  she  thought — 

"  Eliza,"  said  all  at  once  a  low  voice  by  her  side —  "  Eliza,  you 
do  not  want  to  see  me,  then  ?  You  are  still  angry  with  me  ? " 


THE  DECLARATION  OF  LOVE.  123 

She  gave  a  start,  and  crimsoned,  when,  on  looking  up,  she 
saw  young  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  standing  close  in  front  of 
her,  and  gazing  at  her  with  ardent  and  beseeching  eyes. 

"No,  sir,"  she  said,  "I  really  did  not  see  you." 

"That  is  to  say,  Eliza,  you  are  still  angry  with  me  ?"  he 
asked,  eagerly.  "You  are  silent,  you  avert  your  head.  My 
God  f  Eliza,  what  did  I  do,  then,  to  incur  your  anger  ? " 

"  Not  much,  perhaps,  for  city  folks,  but  by  far  too  much 
for  a  poor  peasant-girl,"  she  said,  with  eyes  flashing  proudly. 
"  You  told  me  you  loved  me,  you  tried  forcibly  to  embrace 
and  kiss  me,  and  begged  me  to  go  up  early  in  the  morning  to 
the  yellow  grotto,  where  you  would  wait  for  me.  You  told 
me  further  not  to  say  a  word  about  it  to  anybody  ;  it  should 
remain  a  secret  between  you  and  me,  and  I  should  not  even 
mention  it  to  the  priest  at  the  confessional.  That  was  not 
honest  of  you,  sir  ;  nay,  it  was  bad  of  you  to  try  and  persuade 
me  to  such  mean  things.  It  showed  me  that  you  cannot  be  a 
good  man,  and  that  your  friendship  for  me  is  prompted  by  evil 
intentions." 

"  I  do  not  feel  any  friendship  for  you,  none  whatever,"  said 
the  young  man  ardently,  seating  himself  by  her  side,  seizing 
her  hand  in  spite  of  her  resistance,  and  pressing  it  to  his  heart. 
u  I  do  not  want  to  be  your  friend,  my  sweet,  beautiful,  wild 
Alpine  rose  ;  no,  not  your  friend,  but  your  lover.  And  I  com- 
mence by  loving  you  with  intense  ardor,  by  desiring  and  long- 
ing for  nothing,  and  thinking  of  nothing  but  you  alone.  Oh, 
Eliza,  believe  me,  I  love  you  intensely — by  far  more  than 
Elza,  more  than  your  parents,  more  than  all  your  friends  to- 
gether." 

"  More,  perhaps,  but  not  better,"  she  said,  shaking  her  head, 
and  gently  withdrawing  her  hand  from  him. 

"No,  let  me  keep  your  hand  !"  he  exclaimed  hastily,  seiz- 
ing it  again  ;  "  let  me  keep  it,  Eliza,  for  I  tell  you  I  love  you 
better  too  than  all  the  others  ;  I  love  you  with  my  soul,  with 
my  heart,  with  my  blood,  with  my  life  !  Oh,  believe  me, 
sweet,  lovely  child  ;  believe  me  and  give  me  your  heart ;  fol- 
low me,  and  be  mine — mine  forevermore  !  I  will  give  you  a 
happy,  brilliant,  and  beautiful  existence  ;  I  will  lay  at  your 
feet  all  the  pleasures,  enjoyments,  and  charms  of  this  world — " 


124:  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Sir,"  interrupted  Eliza,  hastily,  jumping  up,  and  fixing 
her  eyes  upon  him  with  a  strange,  ardent  expression,  "  I  hope 
I  understand  you  right,  and  my  ears  do  not  deceive  me  ?  You 
offer  me  your  hand  ?  You  want  to  marry  me  and  make  me 
your  wife  ? " 

The  young  man  gave  a  slight  start  and  dropped  his  eyes. 
Eliza  saw  it,  and  a  sarcastic  smile  played  round  her  lips. 
"  Why  do  you  not  speak  ?  "  she  said.  "  Reply  to  me.  Did  I 
understand  you  ?  Did  you  make  serious  proposals  of  marriage 
to  me  ?  Will  you  go  down  to  my  father  this  very  day  and 
say  to  him  :  "  Listen,  sir.  I,  the  aristocratic  gentleman,  I,  Cap- 
tain Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  want  to  marry  your  daughter 
Lizzie.  I  think  this  country  girl,  with  her  manners,  her  lan- 
guage, and  bearing,  is  well  fitted  to  associate  with  my  aris- 
tocratic and  distinguished  family,  and  my  parents  in  Munich 
would  be  overjoyed  if  I  should  bring  to  them  this  Tyrolese 
girl  as  their  daughter-in-law,  and  a  brown  cow  and  a  white 
goat  as  her  dower.'  Tell  me,  sir,  will  you  go  down  to  my  dear 
father,  the  innkeeper  of  Windisch-Matrey,  and  say  that  to 
him?" 

"  But,  Eliza,"  sighed  the  young  man,  mournfully,  "  if  you 
loved  me  only  a  little,  you  would  not  immediately  think  of 
marriage,  but  would  forget  every  thing  else,  allow  your  whole 
past  to  sink  -into  oblivion  behind  you,  and  think  of  nothing 
but  the  fact  that  I  love  you  intensely,  and  that  you  return  my 
love." 

"  But  I  do  not  admit  at  all  that  I  love  you,"  said  Eliza, 
proudly  ;  "  on  the  contrary,  you  alone  say  and  swear  that  you 
love  me,  and  I  reply  that  I  do  not  believe  you." 

"  And  why  do  you  not  believe  me,  cruel,  beautiful  girl  ? " 

"Because  you  utter  so  many  fine  phrases  which  amount 
to  nothing  at  all.  You  tell  me  that  you  are  very  fond  of  me, 
but  I  think  if  you  love  any  body  with  all  your  heart,  you 
must  be  anxious  to  preserve  him  from  misfortune,  and  do  all 
you  can  to  make  him  happy,  even  though  it  were  at  the  ex- 
pense of  your  own  happiness.  But  you,  sir,  do  not  intend  to 
make  me  happy  ;  on  the  contrary,  you  are  bent  on  plunging 
me  into  misery  and  disgrace,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  I 
contend  that  you  do  not  love  me." 


THE   DECLARATION   OF   LOVE.  125 

"  Then  you  have  a  heart  of  stone,"  cried  Ulrich  von  Ho- 
henberg,  despairingly  ;  "  you  will  not  see  what  I  am  suffer- 
ing, nor  how  intensely  I  love  you." 

"  Sir,"  said  she,  smiling,  "  if  I  cannot  comprehend  it,  pray 
explain  to  me  how  you  love  me." 

44 1  love  you  as  the  most  beautiful,  lovely,  and  charming 
creature  I  have  ever  known  and  admired.  I  love  you  as  a 
girl  whose  innocence,  naturalness,  and  goodness,  fill  my  heart 
with  ecstasy  and  profound  emotion  ;  by  whose  side  I  should 
like  to  spend  my  whole  life,  and  united  with  whom  I  should 
wish  to  seek  for  a  lonely  island  of  happiness  to  dream  there — 
remote  from  the  world,  its  prejudices  and  follies — a  sweet, 
blissful  love-life,  from  which  only  death  would  arouse  us." 

"  Sir,  if  you  really  love  me  in  this  manner,  you  need  not  run 
away  with  me  to  seek  elsewhere  in  foreign  lands  the  '  lonely 
island  of  happiness,'  as  you  call  it.  for  in  that  case  you  would 
have  it  round  you  wherever  we  might  be,  and,  above  all 
things,  here  in  our  mountains.  But,  look,  it  is  just  as  I  said  ; 
you  are  desirous  to  find  a  '  lonely  island  of  happiness' — that 
is  to  say,  nobody  is  to  find  out  that  the  aristocratic  gentleman 
loves  the  poor  Tyrolese  girl,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  you 
want  us  to  hide  in  the  mountains  or  elsewhere,  and  see  if  we 
can  be  happy  without  the  blessing  of  the  priett,  our  dear 
parents,  and  all  other  good  men." 

"  Oh,  Eliza,  have  mercy  on  me.  I  swear  to  you  that  I  love 
you  intensely  ;  that  I  would  be  the  happiest  of  men  if  I  could 
marry  you  publicly  and  make  you  my  wife  in  the  face  of  the 
whole  world,  that — " 

Eliza  interrupted  him  by  singing  with  a  smiling  air,  and 
in  a  merry,  ringing  voice  : 

"  Und  a  Bisserle  Lieb'  und  a  Bisserle  Treu' 
Und  a  Bisserle  Falschheit  ist  all'zeit  dabei ! "  * 

"No,  no  falsehood,"  cried  TJlrich,  "only  the  irksome,  ter- 
rible necessity,  the — " 

The  loud  crash  of  a  rifle,  finding  an  oft-repeated  echo  in 

*  "  And  a  bit  of  love,  and  a  bit  of  truth, 

And  a  bit  of  falsehood,  make  life,  forsooth  1 " 


126  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

the  mountains,  interrupted  him.  Eliza  uttered  a  cry  of  dis- 
may and  jumped  up. 

"  Jesus  Maria  !  "  she  murmured  in  a  low  voice,  "  it  is  the 
signal.  It  has  commenced  !  " 

"  What !  What  has  commenced  ?  "  asked  the  young  man, 
in  surprise. 

Eliza  looked  at  him  with  confused  and  anxious  eyes. 
"  Nothing,  oh,  nothing  at  all,"  she  said,  in  a  tremulous  voice. 
u  Only — I  mean  " — she  paused  and  looked  with  fixed  attention 
down  on  the  large  place.  She  distinctly  saw  the  groups  mov- 
ing rapidly  to  and  fro,  and  then  pouring  with  furious  haste 
through  the  streets. 

"They  are  coming  up  here."  she  murmured  ;  and  her  eyes 
turned  toward  the  wing  of  the  castle  on  the  side  of  the  bal- 
cony, where  the  Bavarian  soldiers  had  their  quarters.  The 
latter,  however,  apparently  did  not  suspect  the  imminent 
danger.  They  were  sitting  at  the  windows  and  smoking  or 
cleaning  their  muskets  and  uniforms.  Eliza  could  hear  them 
chatting  and  laughing  in  perfect  tranquillity. 

"  Well,  Eliza,  beautiful,  cruel  girl,"  asked  Ulrich  von  Ho- 
henberg,  "  will  you  tell  me  what  has  suddenly  excited  you  so 
strangely  ? " 

"  Nothing,  sir,  oh,  nothing,"  she  said  ;  but  then  she  leaned 
far  over  the  railing  of  the  balcony  and  stared  down  ;  she  be- 
held four  young  Tyrolese  sharpshooters  running  up  the  castle- 
hill  at  a  furious  rate,  and  the  host  of  their  comrades  following 
them.  The  four  who  led  the  way  now  entered  the  court-yard, 
and  reached  with  wild  bounds  the  large  door  forming  the  en- 
trance of  the  wing  of  the  building  occupied  by  the  soldiers. 
With  thundering  noise  they  shut  it,  turned  the  large  key 
which  was  in  the  lock,  and  drew  it  immediately  out. 

Two  sharpshooters  now  ran  up  from  the  opposite  side. 

"  We  have  locked  the  back-gate,"  they  shouted  exultingly. 

"That  door  is  locked  too,"  replied  the  others,  jubilantly. 
'*  They  are  all  prisoners  in  the  castle  ! " 

"Sir,"  cried  Eliza,  drawing  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  back 
from  the  balcony,  "you  may  come  with  me  into  the  dining- 
room  ;  I  must  tell  you  something." 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  stay  here  and  see  what  is  the  mat- 


THE   DECLARATION   OF   LOVE.  127 

ter.  What  does  this  mean  ?  More  than  fifty  Tyrolese  are 
entering  the  court-yard  ;  and  why  did  those  mad  young  fel- 
lows lock  the  door  upon  my  soldiers  ? '' 

"  I  suppose  it  is  some  mad  freak  of  theirs,  that  is  all,  "said 
Eliza,  trembling.  "  Come,  dear  sir,  leave  the  balcony  and 
follow  me  into  the  room.  I  wish  to  tell  you.  something — 
quite  secretly,  sir, — oh,  come  !  I  do  not  want  heaven  and 
God  and  the  snow-clad  mountains  yonder  to  hear  a  word  of 
it." 

"Eliza,"  he  exclaimed,  transported,  " how  you  smile,  how 
you  blush  !  Oh,  my  God,  what  do  you  wish  to  say  to  me  ? " 

She  encircled  his  arm  with  her  hands  and  drew  him  into 
the  room.  "  Listen,''  she  said,  looking  at  him  with  imploring 
eyes,  "if  it  is  true  that  you  lo\ie  me  give  me,  a  proof  of  it  and 
swear  that  you  will  do  what  I  shall  request  of  you  !  " 

"  I  love  you,  Eliza,  and  will  prove  it  to  you.  I  swear, 
therefore,  to  do  what  you  shall  request  of  me." 

"  Thank  you,  thank  you,"  she  exclaimed,  joyfully.  "  Now 
come  with  me  ;  I  will  conduct  you  under  the  roof  ;  I  know  of 
a  hiding-place  there  where  no  one  will  find  you,  and  you  will 
swear  to  me  to  stay  there  until  I  come  to  you  with  a  suit  of 
clothes  which  you  will  put  on.  Thereupon  I  shall  conduct 
you  in  the  dead  of  night  into  the  mountains,  and  thus  you 
will  escape." 

"  Escape  ?    Never  !    And  why,  then  ? '' 

"  Sir,  because  the  peasants  will  assassinate  you  if  you  re- 
main. " 

The  young  officer  burst  into  loud  laughter.  "  They  will 
assassinate  me  ?  Ah,  I  have  my  soldiers  and  my  own  arms, 
and  am  not  afraid  of  the  peasants.  My  soldiers  would  soon 
put  down  the  insurgents  if  they  should  really  rebel  to-mor- 
row." 

"  Sir,  they  will  not  wait  until  to-morrow  ;  they  have  al- 
ready risen  ;  the  insurrection  has  commenced  this  very  hour. 
Oh,  thank  God,  you  did  not  find  out  what  was  going  on  ; 
you  felt  so  secure  in  your  pride  and  despised  the  Tyrolese  so 
much  that  you  did  not  fear  them.*  But  I  tell  you  now,  the 

*  The  Tyrolese  kept  the  secret  of  their  intended  insurrection  so  well,  and 
the  Bavarians  were  so  overbearing  and  careless,  that  they  did  not  know  any 


128  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

insurrection  has  broken  out ;  the  whole  Tyrol  is  rising  ;  all 
our  people  are  in  commotion  from  Innspruck  down  to  Salz- 
burg. You  can  no  longer  prevent  or  stifle  it.  You  must 
submit.  Save  yourself,  then,  sir  ;  you  have  sworn  to  grant 
my  request,  and  you  must  keep  your  word." 

"  No,  I  cannot  and  will  not !  I  must  do  my  duty.  Let  me 
go,  Eliza  !  I  must  go  !  I  must  go  to  my  soldiers  !  " 

"  You  can  no  longer  reach  them,  for  they  have  locked  them 
up.  Come,  you  must  save  yourself  ! " 

She  seized  his  arm  with  superhuman  strength,  and  tried  to 
draw  him  away,  but  he  disengaged  himself  and  rushed  toward 
the  door.  But  Eliza  was  quicker  than  he  ;  she  bounded  for- 
ward like  an  angry  lioness,  and  just  as  Ulrich  was  about  to 
seize  the  knob,  she  stood  before  the  door  and  pushed  him 
back. 

"I  shall  not  permit  you  to  leave  the  room,"  she  cried. 
"You  must  kill  me  first;  then  you  may  go." 

"  Eliza,  I  cannot  stay.  I  implore  you,  let  me  go  out.  My 
honor,  my  good  name,  are  at  stake.  You  say  the  peasants 
have  risen  in  insurrection,  my  soldiers  are  locked  up,  and  you 
think  I  could  be  cowardly  and  miserable  enough  to  conceal 
myself  and  surrender  my  name  to  well-deserved  disgrace  ? 
Let  me  go  out,  Eliza;  have  mercy  upon  me  !  Do  not  compel 
me  to  remove  you  forcibly  from  the  door  ! " 

"Ah,"  cried  Eliza,  with  scornful  laughter,  "you  think  I 
will  step  back  from  the  door  and  let  you  go  to  kill  my  father 
and  my  brothers  ?  Listen,  sir ;  you  said  you  loved  me.  G  ive 
me  a  proof  of  it.  Let  me  go  out  first,  let  me  speak  with  my 
father — only  three  words  !  Perhaps  I  may  persuade  him  to 
release  your  soldiers  and  go  home  with  his  friends." 

"  Very  well,  I  will  prove  to  you  that  I  love  you.  Go  down, 
Eliza,  speak  with  your  father.  I  give  you  ten  minutes'  time ; 
that  is  to  say,  I  sacrifice  to  you  ten  minutes  of  my  honor." 

Eliza  uttered  a  cry  of  joy;  she  encircled  Ulrich's  neck  im- 
petuously with  her  arms  and  imprinted  a  glowing  kiss  on  his 
forehead. 

thing  about  the  plans  of  the  insurgents  until  the  day  of  the  rising,  and  on 
that  day  they  tried  to  levy  contributions  by  force  of  arms. — See  "  Gallery  of 
Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  50. 


FAREWELL !  1 29 

"  Farewell,  sir,"  she  whispered,  "  farewell,  and  God  bless 
you  ! " 

Then  she  pushed  him  back,  hastened  to  the  door,  threw  it 
open,  and  sprang  out.  She  closed  the  door  carefully  behind 
her,  locked  it  with  a  firm  and  quick  hand,  drew  the  key  from 
the  lock,  and  concealed  it  in  her  bosom. 

"Holy  Virgin,  I  thank  Thee!"  she  exclaimed,  joyfully. 
"  He  is  saved,  for  the  room  has  no  other  outlet,  and  the  bal- 
cony is  too  high  for  him  to  jump  down." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

FAREWELL  ! 

SHE  sped  as  gracefully  and  quickly  as  a  gazelle  down  the 
corridor.  In  the  large  hall  into  which  it  led  stood  Elza,  sur- 
rounded by  more  than  twenty  Tyrolese  sharpshooters,  with 
whom  she  was  talking  in  a  loud,  animated  voice.  Her  cheeks 
were  very  pale,  her  lips  were  quivering,  but  her  eyes  flashed 
courageously,  and,  notwithstanding  the  paleness  of  her  face, 
it  did  not  betray  the  least  anxiety  or  terror. 

"  Have  you  considered  well  what  you  are  going  to  do,  men 
of  the  Puster  valley  ? "  she  asked,  in  a  clear,  full  voice.  "  Do 
you  know  that  you  are  about  to  rebel  against  your  govern- 
ment and  your  king,  and  that  the  rebels  will  be  judged  and 
punished  with  the  full  rigor  of  the  law  ?" 

u  But  the  Bavarians  will  not  judge  us,  for  we  shall  drive 
them  from  the  country,"  shouted  the  Tyrolese.  "  We  do  not 
want  a  king  nor  a  Bavarian  government;  we  want  to  get  back 
our  Emperor  Francis  and  our  old  constitution." 

"  But  you  will  not  succeed,"  said  Elza  ;  "  you  are  too 
weak  against  them.  There  are  too  many  of  them  and 
too  few  of  you ;  they  have  cannon,  and  you  have  nothing  but 
your  rifles,  and  there  are  many  of  you  who  have  not  even  a 
rifle." 

''  But  we  have  our  God  and  our  emperor,  and  those  two 
will  help  us.  The  Austrians,  as  Andreas  Hofer  has  written  to 


130  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

us,  are  already  in  the  country,  and  all  the  people  are  rising  to 
drive  the  French  and  Bavarians  from  the  country." 

"  It  is  so,  Elza,"  said  Eliza,  encircling  her  friend's  neck  with 
her  arm.  "  I  know  you — I  know  that  you  are  a  loyal  daughter 
of  the  Tyrol,  and  you  will  be  glad  to  see  our  dear  country  de- 
livered from  the  foreign  yoke  and  restored  to  the  good  Em- 
peror Francis." 

"  But,  Lizzie,  think  of  ray  poor  cousin  TJlrich,"  whispered 
Elza  to  her.  ''  He  will  defend  himself  to  the  last  drop  of  his 
blood." 

"  He  is  unable  to  do  so,"  whispered  Lizzie,  with  a  cheerful 
smile.  "  I  have  locked  him  up  in  the  dining-room,  and  the 
key  is  here  in  my  bosom.  Ulrich  cannot  get  out,  therefore, 
and  though  he  is  furious  and  grim,  he  must  remain  in  the 
room  like  a  mouse  in  a  trap." 

"  That  reassures  me,"  said  Elza,  smiling,  "  and  I  understand 
now,  too,  why  my  father  acted  in  the  manner  he  did.  He 
doubtless  suspected  what  would  occur  here,  and  got  rid  of 
all  responsibility,  leaving  me  entirely  free  to  choose  between 
my  Bavarian  relative  and  my  Tyrolese  countrymen.  Here 
is  my  hand,  Anthony  Wallner  ;  I  am  a  loyal  daughter  of 
the  Tyrol,  and  shout  with  you,  '  Long  live  our  Emperor  Fran- 
cis!'" 

"  Hurrah,  long  live  our  Emperor  Francis  ! "  shouted  the 
Tyrolese.  "  Long  live  Miss  Elza,  the  loyal  daughter  of  the 
Tyrol  ! " 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Elza,  smiling.  "  I  think  I  shall  prove 
my  loyalty  when  dangers  and  war  beset  us.  I  shall  establish 
here  in  the  castle  a  hospital  for  our  wounded,  and  the  women 
of  Windisch-Matrey  will  assist  me,  scrape  lint,  and  help  me 
to  nurse  the  wounded.  For  without  wounds  and  bloodshed 
we  shall  not  recover  our  independence,  and  the  Bavarians  will 
not  suffer  themselves  to  be  driven  from  the  country  without 
offering  the  most  obstinate  resistance.  Have  you  considered 
that  well,  my  friends  ? " 

"  We  have  ;  we  are  prepared  for  every  thing,"  said  An- 
thony, joyously.  "  We  will  suffer  death  rather  than  give  up 
our  emperor  and  our  dear  Tyrol.  We  do  not  want  to  become 
Southern  Bavarians,  but  we  will  remain  Tyrolese,  and  defend 


FAREWELL !  131 

our  constitution  and  our  liberty  to  the  last  drop  of  our  blood. 
Will  we  not,  my  friends  ? " 

"  Yes,  we  will,"  shouted  the  Tyrolese. 

"And  as  for  the  Bavarians,  we  are  not  afraid  of  them," 
said  "Wallner,  firmly.  "  All  the  functionaries  have  already 
humbly  submitted  to  the  freemen  of  the  Tyrol.  They  have 
surrendered  with  their  wives  and  children,  delivered  their 
funds  at  our  demand,  and  are  now  guarded  in  their  official 
dwellings  by  our  men.  And  as  for  the  Bavarian  soldiers  at 
the  castle  here,  we  need  not  be  afraid  of  them  either,  for  we 
have  locked  them  up,  like  badgers  in  their  holes,  and  they 
cannot  get  out  of  the  door." 

"  But  if  they  cannot  get  out  of  the  door,  they  will  jump  out 
of  the  windows,"  said  Elza,  "  and  offer  the  most  determined 
resistance." 

"  We  shall  see  if  they  can,"  exclaimed  Wallner,  energet- 
ically. "  We  must  get  through  with  them  right  away.  Come, 
men,  we  must  see  to  the  Boafoks." 

And  Anthony  Wallner,  followed  by  his  sharpshooters, 
hastened  out  into  the  court-yard.  Large  numbers  of  armed 
men  had  assembled  there  in  the  mean  time  ;  even  married 
women  and  young  girls,  carried  away  by  the  universal  enthu- 
siaoin,  had  armed  themselves  and  came  to  take  an  active  part 
in  the  struggle  for  the  fatherland  and  the  emperor.  All 
shouted  and  cheered  in  wild  confusion,  all  swore  to  remain 
true  to  the  fatherland  and  the  emperor  to  their  last  breath. 
The  soldiers  looked  on  wonderingly,  and  watched  in  breath- 
less irresolution  for  their  captain  from  the  windows. 

At  this  moment,  Anthony  Wallner  and  a  number  of  cour- 
ageous sharpshooters  took  position  in  front  of  the  windows. 

"  Soldiers,"  he  shouted,  in  a  thundering  voice,  "  surrender  ! 
you  are  our  prisoners  !  Surrender,  throw  your  muskets  and 
fire-arms  out  of  the  windows,  and  we  will  open  the  door  of 
your  prison  and  allow  you  to  return  to  Bavaria." 

The  soldiers  made  no  reply,  but  leaned  far  out  of  the  win- 
dows and  shouted  :  u  Captain  I  Where  is  our  captain  ? " 

"  Here  I  am  ! "  shouted  a  powerful  voice  above  the  heads  of 
the  Tyrolese  ;  and,  looking  up  in  great  surprise,  they  beheld 
on  the  balcony  young  Captain  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg.  with  a 


132  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

pale  face,  his  features  distorted  with  rage  and  grief,  and 
stretching  out  his  right  arm,  with  his  flashing  sword  menac- 
ingly toward  the  Tyrolese. 

"  Great  God  ! "  murmured  Eliza,  clinging  anxiously  to  El- 
za's  arm,  "  if  he  resists,  he  is  lost." 

"Here  I  am,  my  brave  soldiers  !"  shouted  Ulrich  von  Ho- 
henberg  a  second  time.  "  Come  to  me,  my  brave  lads  !  I 
have  been  locked  up  here  ;  hence,  I  cannot  come  to  you. 
Come  up  to  me,  then.  Knock  the  doors  in,  and  deliver  your 
captain." 

"  First,  let  them  deliver  themselves,  sir,"  shouted  Wallner 
up  to  him.  He  then  turned  once  more  to  the  soldiers.  "Lis- 
ten to  what  I  am  going  to  say  to  you  in  the  name  of  my  coun- 
trymen, in  the  name  of  the  whole  Tyrol,"  he  shouted.  "  For 
four  long  years  you  have  oppressed  and  maltreated  us  :  you 
have  insulted,  humiliated,  and  mortified  us  every  day.  But 
we  are  Christians,  and  will  not  revenge  ourselves  ;  we  want 
only  our  rights,  our  liberty,  and  our  emperor.  Therefore,  if 
you  submit  willingly  and  with  good  grace  to  what  cannot  be 
helped,  we  will  let  you  depart  without  punishing  or  injuring 
you  in  any  way,  and  allow  you  to  return  to  your  accursed 
Bavaria.  But  first  you  will  have  to  do  two  things,  to  wit : 
throw  all  your  muskets  out  of  the  windows,  and  swear  a  sol- 
emn oath  that  you  will  no  longer  bear  arms  against  the  Tyr- 
olese." 

"  You  will  never  swear  that  oath,  soldiers,"  shouted  Ulrich 
von  Hohenberg  from  his  balcony.  "  You  will  keep  the  oath 
which  you  swore  to  your  king  and  commander-in-chief.  You 
will  not  incur  the  disgrace  of  surrendering  to  a  crowd  of  rebel- 
lious peasants  ! " 

"  No,  no,  we  will  not,"  shouted  the  soldiers  to  him  ;  and 
thereupon  they  disappeared  from  the  upper  floor,  and  soon  re- 
appeared in  dense  groups  at  the  windows  of  the  lower  story. 
These  windows  were  only  five  feet  above  the  ground,  and  they 
were  therefore  able  to  jump  out  of  them. 

"  Shoot  down  the  first  soldier  who  jumps  out  of  the  win- 
dow !  "  cried  Anthony  Wallner  to  his  sharpshooters. 

The  soldiers  took  no  notice  of  his  threats  ;  a  soldier  ap- 
peared in  each  of  the  windows  ready  to  risk  the  leap.  One  of 


FAREWELL !  133 

them,  more  agile  and  intrepid  than  the  others,  was  the  first  to 
jump  down.  Scarcely  had  his  feet  touched  the  ground,  when 
a  rifle  crashed  and  a  cloud  of  white  smoke  enveloped  every- 
thing for  a  moment.  When  it  disappeared,  the  Bavarian  sol- 
dier was  seen  to  writhe  on  the  ground  in  the  agony  of  death, 
while  one  of  the  Tyrolese  sharpshooters  was  quietly  reloading 
his  rifle. 

But  now  crashed  another  shot,  and  the  Tyrolese  rifleman, 
pierced  through  the  heart,  reeled  back  into  the  arms  of  his 
friends  with  the  last  groan  of  death. 

"Soldiers,"  cried  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  raising  his  dis- 
charged gun  triumphantly,  "  I  have  avenged  the  death  of 
your  comrade.  Now  forward,  jump  down  !  Forward  for 
your  honor  and  your  king  ! '" 

"  Yes,  forward  for  our  honor  and  our  king  !  "  shouted  the 
soldiers,  and  one  of  them  jumped  out  of  each  of  the  windows. 

Another  shot  was  fired  from  the  balcony,  and  wounded 
one  of  the  Tyrolese  sharpshooters. 

Wild  cries  of  rage  filled  the  court-yard,  all  eyes  turned 
menacingly  to  the  balcony.  But  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  had 
stepped  back  into  the  room,  and  nobody  saw  that  he  was  re- 
loading his  fowling-piece,  which,  with  his  hunting-pouch  and 
powder-horn,  had  hung  in  the  dining-room. 

"  I  shall  defend  myself  until  my  soldiers  come  to  deliver 
me,"  he  said  courageously  to  himself.  Thereupon  he  moved 
the  large  table  from  the  room  to  the  balcony,  placed  it  on  its 
side,  and  leaned  it  against  the  railing  ;  on  the  other  side  of 
the  balcony  he  placed  the  bench  in  the  same  manner,  and, 
protected  behind  this  three-cornered  barricade  from  the  bullets 
of  the  Tyrolese,  he  pushed  his  gun  into  the  aperture  between 
the  bench  and  the  table,  and  fired  again. 

Furious  cries  again  filled  the  court-yard,  for  the  captain's 
shot  had  disabled  another  Tyrolese.  The  women  wailed  and 
lamented  loudly,  the  men  uttered  fierce  imprecations,  and 
lifted  their  clinched  fists  menacingly  toward  the  balcony. 
The  soldiers  had  withdrawn  from  the  windows,  and  were  de- 
liberating with  their  officers  as  to  the  course  which  they  were 
to  adopt.  A  defence  was  almost  impossible,  for,  although  they 
had  their  side-arms  and  carbines,  they  could  not  do  any  thing 


134  ANDREAS    HOFER. 

with  the  former  before  reaching  the  ground  and  engaging  in 
a  hand-to-hand  fight  with  the  peasants  ;  and  the  carbines  were 
utterly  useless,  as  no  ammunition  had  been  distributed  among 
them,  the  cartridges  being  in  the  captain's  room  in  the  main 
part  of  the  castle. 

"  Ten  of  you  will  enter  the  castle,"  commanded  Anthony 
Wallner  now.  "  You  will  take  the  captain  prisoner,  and  if  he 
refuses  to  surrender,  shoot  him  down  as  he  has  shot  three  of 
our  brethren." 

Ten  of  the  most  courageous  sharpshooters  stepped  from  the 
ranks  and  rushed  into  the  castle. 

"  He  is  lost !  "  murmured  Eliza  Wallner,  with  pale  lips, 
and  she  sank  on  her  knees  by  the  side  of  her  friend  Elza. 

Now  were  heard  resounding  in  the  castle  the  thundering 
blows  which  the  Tyrolese  struck  with  the  butt-ends  of  their 
rifles  against  the  door  of  the  room  where  Ulrich  von  Hohen- 
berg  was  locked  up. 

"  The  door  is  old  and  worm-eaten,  it  will  give  way,"  sighed 
Elza,  and  she  hastened  resolutely  toward  Anthony  Wallner, 
who  was  just  calling  again  on  the  soldiers  with  cool  intrepid- 
ity to  surrender  to  him. 

"  Anthony  Wallner,"  she  said,  in  a  soft,  suppliant  voice, 
"  you  will  not  stain  your  great  and  sacred  cause  by  cowardly 
murder.  You  will  never  think  of  killing  in  my  father's  own 
house  his  relative  and  guest  ? " 

"  Let  him  surrender  :  no  harm  will  befall  him  then,"  cried 
Anthony  Wallner,  in  a  harsh,  stern  voice.  "  He  has  shed  the 
blood  of  our  men,  and  if  he  is  killed,  it  will  be  done  in  a  fair 
fight.  Leave  us  now,  miss  :  the  struggle  between  the  Tyrolese 
and  the  Boafoks  has  commenced  ;  look  at  the  corpses  yonder, 
and  say  for  yourself  whether  we  can  retrace  our  steps,  and — 

A  loud,  thundering  crash,  followed  by  triumphant  cheers, 
resounded  in  the  castle. 

'*  They  have  opened  the  door,"  murmured  Eliza,  still  on  her 
knees.  "  Holy  Virgin,  protect  him,  or  he  is  lost ! " 

A  shot  crashed  in  the  dining-room,  a  cloud  of  white  smoke 
issued  from  the  open  balcony  doors,  and  a  loud  cry,  accom- 
panied by  wild  imprecations,  was  heard. 

"  He  has  shot  another  Tyrolese,  you  will  see  that  he  has  !  " 


THE   BRIDEGROOM.  135 

shouted  Wallner,  raising  his  clinched  fists  menacingly  toward 
the  balcony. 

The  cries  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  and  now  Captain  TJlrich 
von  Hohenberg,  his  features  pale  and  distorted  with  rage, 
rushed  out  on  the  balcony. 

"  Surrender  ! "  shouted  the  Tyrolese,  pursuing  him. 

<v  Never  ! "  he  cried.  u  I  will  die  sooner  than  surrender  to 
a  rabble  of  peasants  like  you." 

And  forgetful  of  the  dangers  besetting  him,  and  in  the  de- 
spair of  his  rage  and  grief,  the  captain  jumped  from  the  bal- 
cony into  the  midst  of  the  crowd  in  the  court-yard. 


CHAPTER  Xin. 

THE  BRIDEGROOM. 

WILD  shouts  were  heard  now,  and  a  great  commotion  arose 
among  the  Tyrolese.  The  bold  deed  of  the  Bavarian  had  sur- 
prised and  confused  them  ;  they  had  forgot  the  soldiers  for  a 
moment,  and  riveted  their  whole  attention  on  the  captain. 

He  was  uninjured,  for,  in  jumping  down,  he  had  fallen  on 
the  backs  of  two  Tyrolese,  dragged  them  down  with  him,  and 
thus  broken  the  violence  of  the  fall. 

Before  the  two  men,  stunned  by  their  sudden  fall,  had  re- 
covered from  their  surprise,  Ulrich  was  again  on  his  feet,  and. 
drawing  his  sword,  cleared  himself  a  passage  through  the 
quickly-receding  crowd. 

"  Come  to  me,  my  soldiers,  come  to  me  !  "  he  shouted,  in  a 
panting  voice. 

"  Here  we  are,  captain,"  cried  twenty  soldiers,  driving  the 
crowd  back  with  powerful  strokes.  They  had  profited  by  the 
favorable  moment  when  the  windows  had  not  been  watched, 
and  had  jumped  to  the  ground. 

Now  followed  a  hand-to-hand  struggle  of  indescribable  fury. 
Nothing  was  heard  but  the  wild  imprecations  and  shouts  of 
the  fighting,  the  shrieks  and  groans  of  the  wounded  and  the 
screams  of  the  women  and  children. 


136  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

But  amidst  the  struggle  and  the  general  confusion  An- 
thony Wallner  did  not  lose  his  presence  of  mind.  He  had 
posted  twenty  sharpshooters  in  front  of  the  windows,  behind 
which  the  soldiers  were  standing,  and,  with  rifles  raised,  they 
threatened  death  to  all  who  should  dare  to  approach  the  win- 
dows. Hence,  the  soldiers  had  retired  into  the  back  part  of 
the  rooms,  and  were  deliberating  on  the  course  which  they 
were  to  pursue.  But  their  faces  were  anxious  and  irresolute, 
and  they  whispered  to  each  other  :  "  If  our  captain  should  fall, 
nothing  remains  for  us  but  to  surrender." 

But  their  captain  had  not  yet  fallen  ;  he  still  lived  and 
defended  himself  courageously,  surrounded  by  his  soldiers, 
against  the  Tyrol ese,  who  attacked  him  furiously  and  parried 
the  sabre-strokes  with  the  butt-ends  of  their  rifles,  but  had 
no  room,  and  did  not  dare  to  shoot  at  him,  for  fear  of  hitting 
in  the  wild  melee  one  of  their  own  men  instead  of  their  enemy. 

But  the  odds  were  too  great ;  six  of  the  soldiers  had  al- 
ready been  knocked  down  by  the  butt-ends  of  the  Tyrolese 
rifles.  The  Tyrolese  had  wrested  the  sabres  from  the  hands  of 
the  fallen  soldiers,  and  had  rushed  with  them  upon  their  com- 
rades. Then  followed  a  furious  hand-to-hand  struggle.  The 
fumes  of  the  blood  flowing  on  the  ground,  the  shouts  of  the 
combatants,  the  hatred  and  fury  with  which  the  enemies 
stood  face  to  face,  had  filled  their  hearts  with  boundless  fe- 
rocity. Nobody  gave,  nobody  asked  quarter.  Under  the  butt- 
end  blows  of  the  Tyrolese,  the  Bavarians  sank  to  the  ground 
with  a  glance  of  hatred  ;  pierced  by  the  swords  of  the  Bava- 
rians, the  Tyrolese  fell,  with  an  imprecation  on  their  lips. 

Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  was  still  holding  his  ground  ;  his 
sword  had  spread  destruction  and  death  around  him  ;  he 
was  still  encouraging  his  soldiers  with  loud  shouts,  but  his 
voice  was  beginning  to  grow  faint,  and  his  blood  was  running 
from  a  terrible  wound  in  his  shoulder. 

"To  the  rescue,  soldiers  !  "  he  shouted  now  with  a  last 
effort  ;  "  do  not  suffer  your  captain  to  be  slain  by  miserable 
peasants.  To  the  rescue  !  help  me  or  shoot  me,  that  I  may 
die  an  honorable  death,  and  not  be  assassinated  by  the  trai- 
tors." 

u  I  will  comply  with  your  wishes,''  cried  Anthony  Wall- 


THE   BRIDEGROOM.  137 

ner,  rushing  into  the  midst  of  the  bloody  m&lee  close  up  to 
the  captain  ;  "  yes,  you  shall  die  ;  I  will  put  an  end  to  your 
life  ! " 

And  his  arm,  brandishing  the  sword  of  a  fallen  Bavarian, 
rose  threateningly  above  Ulrich's  head,  while  two  other  Tyr- 
olese  rushed  upon  him  from  behind  with  furious  shouts. 

At  this  moment  two  hands  clutched  Wallner's  arm  con- 
vulsively, and  a  loud,  anxious  voice  exclaimed  : 

"  Father,  do  not  kill  him  !    He  is  my  bridegroom  !  " 

"  Her  bridegroom  ! "  echoed  the  Tyrolese,  starting  back  in 
surprise. 

"  Your  bridegroom  ? "  asked  Anthony  Wallner,  casting  a 
look  of  dismay  on  his  daughter  Eliza,  who  was  standing  in 
front  of  her  father,  pale,  with  flashing  eyes,  encircling  Ul- 
rich's neck  with  one  arm,  lifting  up  the  other  menacingly, 
and  staring  at  her  father  with  a  resolute  and  defiant  expres- 
sion. 

"  Away  from  him,  Lizzie  !  "  cried  Wallner,  furiously  ;  "  I 
cannot  believe  that  my  child  will  inflict  on  me  the  disgrace 
of  loving  a  Bavarian." 

"  Yes,  I  love  him,"  exclaimed  Eliza,  with  glowing  cheeks. 
•'  If  you  wish  to  kill  him,  you  must  kill  me  first,  for  we  have 
sworn  to  live  and  die  together.  He  is  my  bridegroom,  father, 
and  shall  become  my  husband,  so  help  me  God  ! " 

44  No,  never  ! "  cried  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  trying  to  dis- 
engage himself  from  Eliza.  "  Never  can  the  peasant-girl  be- 
come my  wife  !  Begone,  Eliza,  I  have  nothing  further  to  do 
with  you." 

44  And  still  you  swore  a  few  minutes  ago  that  you  loved 
nothing  on  earth  more  dearly  than  me  alone,"  said  Eliza,  in 
a  loud  voice,  4i  and  you  implored  me  to  go  with  you  and  re- 
main always  by  your  side  ?" 

'4  But  never  did  I  say  that  I  would  marry  you,"  exclaimed 
Ulrich,  pale  with  rage,  and  still  trying  to  disengage  himself 
from  Eliza's  arm. 

41  You  would  not  marry  her  ! "  cried  Anthony  Wallner ; 
44  you  intended  only  to  dishonor  her,  my  proud  Bavarian  gen- 
tleman ?    You  thought  a  Tyrolese  peasant-girl's  honor  an  ex- 
cellent pastime,  but  you  would  not  marry  her  ?" 
10 


138  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"  Father,  father,"  cried  Eliza,  beseechingly,  clinging  firmly 
to  Ulrica's  side,  "  father,  I  love  him  and  cannot  live  without 
him.  He  is  my  bridegroom  !" 

"  No,  no  !  "  shouted  Ulrich,  and  a  wild  imprecation  against 
Eliza  burst  from  his  lips. 

The  Tyrolese  in  the  mean  time  had  long  since  overpowered 
the  few  soldiers,  and,  attracted  by  the  strange  scene,  crowded 
around  the  curious  group  ;  only  the  twenty  sharpshooters 
were  still  standing  with  rifles  raised  in  front  of  the  windows 
of  the  imprisoned  soldiers,  and  watching  them  with  threaten- 
ing eyes. 

Anthony  Wallner  had  dropped  his  arm  and  looked  down 
musingly  ;  on  hearing  the  captain's  insulting  words,  he  gave 
a  shout  and  lifted  up  his  face  flushed  with  pride  and  indig- 
nation. 

"  Just  listen  to  the  traitor,  bi'ethren  !  "  he  said  in  the  cold, 
quiet  tone  which  only  the  most  profound  exasperation  im- 
parts to  the  human  voice.  "  First  he  turned  the  girl's  head 
and  heart  by  the  protestations  of  his  love,  causing  her  even  to 
forget  her  father  and  her  Tyrol  ;  and  now  he  insults  her  and 
refuses  to  marry  her  !  " 

"  He  said  it  only  in  his  rage,  father,  but  he  loves  me  after 
all."  exclaimed  Eliza,  clinging  to  the  captain  notwithstanding 
his  resistance,  and  trying  to  wrest  his  sword  from  him. 

"  Begone,  Eliza  !  "  cried  Ulrich,  "  or—  He  pushed  her 
violently  from  him,  and  quickly  raised  his  sword  against  her. 
But  two  Tyrolese  prevented  him  from  carrying  out  his  fell 
design  by  rushing  upon  him,  seizing  his  arm  with  Herculean 
strength,  wresting  the  sword  from  his  hand,  throwing  the 
weapon  far  away,  and  exclaiming  triumphantly  :  ''  Now  sur- 
render, Bavarian  !  You  are  our  prisoner." 

''  Then  shoot  me  at  least,"  shouted  Ulrich,  beside  himself 
with  rage  ;  "  shoot  me,  I  say  ;  death  is  preferable  to  the  dis- 
grace of  being  a  prisoner  of  such  miserable  rabble." 

"  Hush,  beloved,  for  God's  sake,  hush  !  "  said  Eliza,  cling* 
ing  to  him  tenderly. 

He  pushed  her  violently  from  his  side.  "  Begone,  hypo- 
critical wench  ! "  he  shouted  in  a  paroxysm  of  fury  ;  "  I  do 
not  want  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  you  !  " 


THE  BRIDEGROOM.  139 

"  But  you  shall  have  something  to  do  with  her/'  said  An- 
thony Wallner,  with  proud  calmness.  "  The  girl  says  that  she 
loves  you,  and  that  you  promised  to  marry  her.  It  was  had 
in  you  to  persuade  her  behind  the  backs  of  her  parents  and 
infatuate  h^r  poor  heart,  and  you  shall  be  punished  now  for 
your  infamy.  You  shall  marry  Lizzie.  The  proud  and 
wealthy  baron  who  despises  the  Tyrolese  peasants  so  much 
shall  now  marry  the  Tyrolese  peasant-girl." 

"  Yes,  yes,  that  is  right,"  exclaimed  the  Tyrolese  exulting- 
ly  ;  "  the  proud  baron  shall  marry  the  Tyrolese  peasant-girl." 

u  Let  us  go  down  to  the  village,  then,"  said  Anthony  Wall- 
ner ;  "  our  curate  shall  marry  them  immediately  at  the 
church  ;  and  then  let  the  two  leave  the  place  as  quickly  as 
possible,  and  beware  of  ever  returning  to  Windisch-Matrey  ; 
for  never  shall  the  wife  of  the  Bavarian  Captain  Ulrich  von 
Hohenberg  dare  to  say  that  she  is  Eliza  Wallner,  daughter  of 
the  Tyrolese  Anthony  Wallner-Aichberger,  the  innkeeper  of 
Windisch-Matrey.  I  have  no  longer  a  daughter— I  tear  her 
from  ray  heart,  as  she  tore  honor,  righteousness,  and  faith 
from  hers." 

Eliza  called  two  Tyrolese  with  an  impetuous  wave  of  her 
hand  to  her  side.  "  Hold  him,"  she  said,  pointing  to  Ulrich, 
who,  pale  and  tottering,  exhausted  from  his  superhuman 
efforts  and  loss  of  blood,  was  scarcely  able  to  stand  on  his 
feet ;  ''hold  him,  I  must  speak  to  my  father." 

She  hastened  to  him,  seized  both  his  hands  despite  his  re- 
sistance, and  drew  his  face  so  close  to  hers  that  his  hot,  pant- 
ing breath  touched  her  cheek  ;  but  he  averted  his  eyes  with 
a  gloomy  expression  and  avoided  meeting  her  fiery  glances. 

"  You  do  not  want  to  know  me,  father  ! "  she  asked  mourn- 
fully. "You  avert  your  eyes  from  your  Lizzie,  whom  you 
called  only  yesterday  your  dear,  brave  Tyrolese  girl  ?" 

"  You  are  no  child  of  mine,  you  are  no  Tyrolese  girl,"  ex- 
claimed her  father,  angrily  and  mournfully.  "  You  want  to 
marry  the  Bavarian,  and  become  an  aristocratic  lady." 

"  It  is  all  the  same  to  me  whether  Ulrich  yonder  is  an 
aristocratic  gentleman  or  not,"  said  Eliza,  shaking  her  head 
proudly;  "  I  love  him  only  because  he  pleases  me  so  well,  and 
because  he  loves  me  so  fondly  and  ardently.  But,  father,  you 


140  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

must  not  say  that  I  am  no  true  daughter  of  the  Tyrol,  and  do 
not  love  the  fatherland.  I  will  prove  to  all  of  you  that  I  do 
love  it ;  and  to  Ulrich  yonder,  who  wished  to  persuade  me  to 
run  away  with  him  secretly,  and  who  must  marry  me  now  to 
atone  for  it,  I  will  prove  likewise  that  I  am  no  baroness  although 
I  love  him,  and  that  I  do  not  love  his  king  and  his  brilliant 
uniform,  but  that  I  will  remain  loyal  to  my  emperor  alone. 
Listen  to  me,  therefore,  father,  and  all  of  you  :  Ulrich  von 
Hohenberg  is  my  bridegroom,  and  therefore  you  shall  not 
kill  him,  nor  do  him  any  harm,  but  convey  him  as  a  prisoner 
to  my  father's  house,  not  for  the  purpose  of  being  married  to 
me,  but  to  be  kept  and  nursed  as  a  wounded  prisoner.  I 
swear  by  the  Lord  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin,  I  will  not  marry 
him  till  we  have  conquered,  till  all  Bavarians  have  been 
driven  from  the  country,  and  the  Emperor  Francis  is  once 
more  sovereign  of  the  Tyrol.  Nor  shall  I  stay  at  home  to 
nurse  my  bridegroom  and  speak  with  him  of  love  and  mar- 
riage, but  I  will  go  and  fight  with  you  for  our  Tyrol  and  our 
emperor.  I  will  fight  with  my  father  and  my  countrymen, 
and  prove  that  I  am  a  true  daughter  of  the  Tyrol.  When 
you  have  nothing  to  eat,  I  will  cook  for  you  ;  and  when  you 
go  to  fight  the  Bavarians,  I  will  fight  with  you.  My  father's 
lame  porter,  our  faithful  Schropfel,  shall  have  my  bride- 
groom in  his  custody,  and  protect  him  until  we  return  to 
our  homes.  But  we  shall  not  return  before  our  dear  Tyrol  is 
free  and  restored  to  the  Emperor  Francis,  and  then,  father, 
when  your  Lizzie  has  bravely  fought  for  our  dear  Tyrol,  you 
will  permit  her  to  marry  the  man  whom  she  loves,  and  you 
will  no  longer  say  that  she  is  not  your  daughter,  will  you  ? " 

"  No,  Lizzie,  then  I  shall  no  longer  say  or  think  so,"  cried 
Wallner,  folding  his  daughter  to  his  heart,  overcome  by  his 
emotion.  "  Yes,  you  are  a  brave  child  of  the  Tyrol ;  you  shall 
march  to  the  field  with  us,  and  when  we  return  to  our  homes, 
you  shall  marry  your  Bavarian.  Say,  my  dear  friends,  shall 
it  be  so  ? " 

"  Yes,  it  shall,"  shouted  the  Tyrolese.  "  Her  wedding  shall 
take  place  when  we  return  to  our  homes,  and  when  the  Tyrol 
is  free." 

"  No,  no,"  cried  Ulrich,  raising  himself  up  with  a  last  effort; 


THE  BRIDEGROOM.  141 

"  never  will  my  father's  son  dishonor  himself  so  deeply  as  to 
marry  a  peasant-girl — " 

He  said  no  more  ;  a  stream  of  blood  rushed  from  his 
mouth,  a  mortal  pallor  overspread  his  cheeks,  his  eyes  closed, 
and  he  sank  to  the  ground  with  a  groan  of  pain. 

"  He  is  dying  !  he  is  dying  ! "  cried  Eliza,  despairingly. 
She  rushed  to  him,  knelt  down  by  his  side,  and  encircled  him 
firmly  with  both  her  arms,  so  that  his  head  reposed  on  her 
breast. 

A  cry,  a  loud,  painful  cry,  resounded  above  her  in  the  air  ; 
all  eyes  turned  toward  the  balcony,  but  no  one  was  there  ;  only 
for  a  moment  it  seemed  to  them  as  though  a  female  form 
glided  through  the  dining-room. 

'•Elza,  it  was  Elza  !"  murmured  Eliza.  "Why  does  she 
not  come  to  me  ?  why — "  At  this  moment  Ulrich  opened  his 
eyes  again,  and  fixed  a  look  of  proud  hatred  full  upon  Eliza's 
face,  which  was  tenderly  bent  over  him. 

"  I  do  not  love  you,  I  detest  you  !  "  he  hissed,  between  his 
firmly-compressed  teeth. 

"  He  lives,  thank  God,  he  lives  !  "  cried  Eliza  ;  "  now  all  is 
well,  and  I  am  no  longer  afraid  of  anything.  Schropfel,  come 
here  ;  take  him  on  your  shoulders,  dear  Schropfel,  or  let  John 
help  you  to  carry  him  to  my  chamber,  where  you  will  lay  him 
on  my  bed.  You  swear  to  me  by  the  Holy  Virgin  that  you 
will  watch  over  him  faithfully  ? " 

"I  swear  by  the  Holy  Virgin,"  said  Schropfel,  lifting  his 
heavy  fists  to  heaven,  and  then  fixing  his  small,  flashing  eyes 
on  Ulrich,  as  a  watch-dog  eyes  the  bone  he  fears  may  be  taken 
from  him. 

"  And  now  let  us  settle  that  affair  with  the  soldiers  yon- 
der," said  Anthony  Wallner,  going  to  the  windows,  in  front 
of  which  the  sharpshooters  were  still  drawn  up  in  line. 

"  Soldiers  in  the  rooms,"  he  shouted  in  a  powerful  voice, 
"surrender  !  The  fight  is  at  an  end  ;  your  captain  is  our 
prisoner.  Surrender,  or  you  are  lost  ;  we  will  set  fire  to  the 
house,  and  shoot  down  whosoever  jumps  out  of  the  windows. 
If  you  wish  to  save  your  lives,  surrender." 

One  of  the  sergeants  appeared  at  the  window. 

"We  are  locked  up  and  surrounded,"  he  said  ;  "we  have 


ANDREAS  HOFER. 

no  ammunition,  and  our  captain  is  a  prisoner.  Therefore, 
we  will  surrender  if  you  will  allow  us  to  evacuate  the  castle." 

*'  Yes,  but  without  arms,"  said  Anthony  Wallner,  impera- 
tively. "  You  will  all  come  in  squads  of  four  to  the  windows 
and  hand  out  your  carbines  and  side-arms.  There  are  yet  a 
hundred  of  you  in  the  rooms.  As  soon  as  we  have  got  a  hun- 
dred carbines  and  a  hundred  sabres  we  shall  open  the  portal 
and  let  you  out.  You  may  return  then  to  Bavaria,  and  tell 
your  government  that  no  Southern  Bavarians,  but  true  Tyro- 
lese,  live  in  the  Pusterthal,  the  Vintschgau,  and  the  Passeyr- 
thal." 

"  We  accept  your  terms,"  replied  the  sergeant ;  "  come, 
therefore,  and  receive  our  arms." 

The  Tyrolese  stepped  up  to  the  windows,  at  each  of  which 
squads  of  four  soldiers  made  their  appearance,  and  silently  and 
sullenly  handed  out  their  arms,  which  the  Tyrolese  took  and 
stacked  in  the  middle  of  the  court- yard. 

"  Now  I  will  go  and  see  where  my  Elza  has  concealed  her- 
self," murmured  Eliza  to  herself  ;  and  she  glided  hastily 
through  the  ranks  of  the  Tyrolese  into  the  castle. 

No  one  was  to  be  seen  in  the  large  hall,  and,  unnoticed  by 
anybody,  Eliza  ascended  the  staircase,  hastened  down  the  cor- 
ridor, and  entered  the  dining-room. 

The  instinct  of  her  heart  had  guided  her  rightly  ;  yonder, 
in  the  most  remote  corner  of  the  room,  sat  Elza,  groaning 
aloud  in  bitter  woe,  her  hands  clasped  on  her  knees,  her  head 
bent  on  her  breast,  and  not  perceiving  in  her  agony  that  Eliza 
came  in,  that  she  hastened  rapidly,  yet  noiselessly  and  on 
tiptoe  through  the  room,  and  stood  still  now  close  in  front  of 
her. 

"  Why  do  you  weep,  dearest  Elza  ? "  asked  Eliza,  kneeling 
down  before  her  friend. 

Elza  gave  a  start,  and  quickly  raised  her  face,  over  which 
were  rolling  rivers  of  scalding  tears.  "  I  do  not  weep  at  all, 
Eliza,"  she  said,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Eliza  ? "  she  asked,  wonderingly.  "  You  call  me  Eliza  ? 
Then  I  am  no  longer  your  darling,  your  Lizzie  ?  You  did  not 
assist  me  when  I  had  to  save  your  cousin  Ulrich  below  in  the 
court-yard  ?  You  uttered  a  loud  cry  when  he  lay  more  dead 


THE   BRIDEGROOM.  143 

than  alive  in  my  lap,  and  you  did  not  come  to  help  him  and 
me  ?  And  now  you  call  me  Eliza  ? " 

"  What  should  I  have  done  there  ? "  asked  Elza,  in  a  bitter, 
mournful  tone.  "  He  reposed  well  on  your  breast ;  he  did 
not  need  me.  I  am  only  his  cousin,  but  you,  you  are  his  affi- 
anced bride." 

"  But  formerly,  I  suppose,  Elza,  he  was  to  be  your  affianced 
bridegroom  ? "  asked  Eliza,  in  a  low,  tremulous  voice.  "  Oh, 
I  always  thought  so  ;  I  knew  it  all  the  time,  although  you 
never  told  me  so.  I  always  thought  Elza  and  Ulrich  would 
be  a  good  match  ;  they  are  suited  to  each  other,  and  will  love 
each  other  and  be  happy.  Elza,  Ulrich  was  to  be  your  bride- 
groom, was  he  not  ? " 

ki  What  is  the  use  of  talking  about  it  now  ? "  asked  Elza, 
vehemently.  "  He  is  your  bridegroom,  he  has  sworn  eternal 
fidelity  to  you,  and  I  shall  not  dispute  him  with  you.  Marry 
him  and  be  happy." 

"  And  would  your  Lizzie  be  happy  if  her  Elza  were  not 
content  with  her?"  asked  Eliza,  tenderly.  "Tell  me  only 
this  :  your  father  and  his  parents  thought  you  were  a  good 
match — did  they  not  ? " 

'*  Yes,  they  did,"  whispered  Elza,  bursting  again  into  tears. 
"  My  father  told  me  yesterday  that  it  was  his  wish,  as  well  as 
that  of  Ulrich's  parents." 

"  And  Ulrich  told  you,  too,  that  he  loved  you  and  would 
marry  you  ?  Tell  me  the  truth,  Elza.  Never  mind  what  I 
said  in  the  court-yard  about  Ulrich  being  my  bridegroom. 
Remember  only  that  I  am  your  Lizzie,  who  loves  you  better 
than  she  can  tell  you,  but  who  will  prove  it  to  you  if  the  good 
God  will  permit  her  to  do  so.  Tell  me  therefore,  my  darling, 
Ulrich  said  to  you  he  loved  you  and  wished  to  marry  you  ? " 

"  No,  he  did  not  say  so,  Lizzie,  but — but  I  thought  so,  I  be- 
lieve, and  he  thought  so,  too ;  and,  0  God  !  I  believe  I  love 
him.  It  seemed  to  me  as  though  a  dagger  pierced  mv  heart 
when  you  said  that  he  was  your  bridegroom.  I  could  not 
bear  it,  and  hastened  into  the  house  in  order  not  to  see  and 
hear  any  thing  further.  I  meant  to  ?eat  tnvself  quietly  in  the 
dining-room  here  and  submit  to  all  that  might  happen  ;  and 
yet  I  was  drawn  irresistibly  toward  the  balcony,  and  on  rush- 


144  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

ing  out  I  saw  you  holding  him  in  your  lap  and  pressing  his  dear 
pale  head  to  your  bosom.  I  felt  as  though  the  heavens  were 
falling  down  on  me  ;  I  had  to  cry  out  aloud  in  my  anguish 
and  despair.  I  hurried  back  into  the  room,  fell  on  my  knees, 
and  prayed  that  death  might  deliver  me  from  my  pains.  O 
God,  God  !  it  did  not ;  I  must  carry  on  life's  dreary  burden 
and  cannot  die  !  " 

She  buried  her  face  in  her  hands  and  sobbed  aloud. 

While  Elza  was  speaking,  Eliza  had  turned  paler  and 
paler  ;  a  slight  tremor  passed  through  her  whole  frame,  and 
she  compressed  her  lips  firmly,  as  if  to  restrain  the  cry  oppress- 
ing her  bosom. 

Now  she  laid  her  hand  gently  on  Elza's  head.  ''  You  love 
him,  Elza,"  she  said  mildly.  "•  I  understand  your  heart,  dear- 
est Elza,  you  love  him.  And  now  dry  your  tears  and  listen  to 
what  I  have  to  say  to  you.  But  first  you  must  look  at  me, 
Elza,  and  you  must  show  me  your  dear  face  ;  otherwise  I 
won't  tell  you  the  good  news  I  have  got  for  you." 

Elza  dropped  her  hands  from  her  face,  and  looked,  smiling 
amid  her  tears,  into  Eliza's  countenance,  which  seemed  now 
again  entirely  calm  and  serene. 

"  Now  listen,  Elza,"  she  whispered,  hurriedly  ;  "  Ulrich  is 
not  my  bridegroom,  and  he  never  told  me  that  he  loved  me." 

Elza  uttered  a  cry  of  joy,  and  a  sunbeam  seemed  to  illumi- 
nate her  face. 

"  I  merely  said  so  in  order  to  save  him,"  added  Lizzie  ; 
"  that  was  the  reason  why  I  uttered  that  impudent  lie,  which 
God  Almighty,  I  hope,  will  forgive  me.  I  saw  that  my  father 
was  just  about  to  kill  him,  and  my  heart  told  me  I  ought  to 
save  him  at  all  hazards.  I  hastened  to  my  father,  and  the 
words  escaped  my  lips,  I  myself  do  not  know  how.  I  said  I 
loved  him,  he  would  marry  me,  and  was  my  affianced  bride- 
groom ;  and  this  saved  him,  for  he  was  intent  on  dying  rather 
than  fall  alive,  as  he  said,  into  the  hands  of  the  peasant-rabble. 
That  was  the  reason  why  he  was  so  bold,  abused  the  Tyrolese 
so  violently,  and  would  not  cease  resisting  them.  Therefore, 
I  had  to  save  him.  not  only  from  my  father,  but  from  his  own 
rage  ;  and  I  did  it." 

"  But  do  you  not  love  him  ? "  asked  Elza,  smiling. 


THE   BRIDEGROOM.  145 

"Do  you  not  know  that  Joseph  Thurmwalder  has  heen 
courting  me  for  a  year  past  ?  My  father  will  be  glad  to  have 
me  marry  him  ;  for  he  is  the  son  of  rich  parents  and  the  most 
skillful  and  handsome  hunter  in  the  whole  Puster  valley." 

"  But  you  have  often  told  me  that  you  did  not  love  him  ? " 

"  Have  you  not  often  told  me  likewise  that  you  did  not  love 
Ulrich,  Elza  ?  We  girls  are  queer  beings,  and  never  say  whom 
we  love  ! " 

'*  But  Ulrich  !  He  loves  you  !  Yes,  yes,  I  know  he  loves 
you.  I  have  suspected  it  a  long  time,  and  always  teased  him 
with  his  attachment  to  you." 

"  And  he  always  denied  it,  did  he  not  ? " 

"Yes,  he  did,  and  yet— " 

"  And  he  denied  it  to-day  too,  when  the  lie  would  have 
saved  him  at  once.  He  would  die  rather  than  be  a  peasant- 
girl's  bridegroom  !  You  see,  therefore,  that  he  does  not  love 
me,  Elza.  But  my  lie  saved  his  life,  and  no  one  must  find  out 
that  Ulrich  is  not  my  bridegroom.  For  if  my  father  and  his 
friends  should  discover  it,  they  would  kill  him,  because  he  in- 
sulted them  too  deeply  to  be  forgiven.  He  must  remain  my 
bridegroom  until  tranquillity  is  re-established  in  the  country." 

"  Yes,  my  Lizzie,  my  darling  ! "  exclaimed  Elza,  encircling 
Eliza's  neck  with  her  arms  ;  "  yes,  let  him  remain  your  bride- 
groom, my  sagacious,  brave  Tyrolese  girl.  I  always  said  and 
knew  that  you  would  be  a  heroine  if  you  should  have  to  meet 
a  great  danger,  and  to-day  you  were  a  heroine." 

"  Not  yet,  Elza,  but  I  shall  be  one.  I  am  going  to  prove  to 
my  father  and  all  his  friends  that  I  am  a  true  daughter  of  the 
Tyrol,  even  though  the  Bavarian  captain  is  my  bridegroom. 
And  now,  farewell,  dearest  Elza  ;  I  must  go  down  again  to  my 
father.  But  listen,  I  have  to  tell  you  something  else  yet.  I 
shall  leave  our  village  with  my  father  to-day.  We  shall 
march  with  our  friends  to  Andreas  Hofer,  for  the  Tyrolese 
must  concentrate  their  whole  forces  in  order  to  be  strong 
enough  when  they  have  to  meet  the  enemy.  Hence,  it  was 
resolved  at  the  very  outset,  that,  so  soon  as  it  was  time  for  the 
people  to  rise  against  the  Bavarians,  Speckbacher  and  his 
friends,  and  my  father  with  the  peasants  of  the  Puster  valley, 
should  join  the  men  of  the  Passeyr  valley  under  Hofer's  com- 


146  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

mand.  I  know  that  father  will  set  out  to-day,  and  I  shall  ac- 
company him,  Elza.  I  am  not  afraid  of  death  and  the  en- 
emy ;  I  know  that  our  cause  is  just,  and  that  the  good  God 
will  be  on  our  side." 

"  But,  nevertheless,  many  noble  hearts  will  be  pierced  for 
this  just  cause,  and  yours,  dearest  Lizzie,  may  be  among 
them,"  exclaimed  Elza.  tenderly  folding  her  friend  to  her 
heart.  "  Oh,  stay  here,  my  darling,  let  the  men  fight  it  out 
alone  ;  stay  here  ! " 

u  No,  Elza,  I  must  go  with  them.  My  honor  requires  it, 
and  forbids  me  to  stay  at  our  house  with  Ulrich  von  Hohen- 
berg,  for  whose  sake  my  father  called  me  publicly  to-day  a  rec- 
reant daughter  of  the  Tyrol,  and  threatened  to  disown  me 
forever.  I  must  prove  to  all  the  world  that  I  am  a  loyal 
daughter  of  the  Tyrol  ;  and  I  feel,  Elza,  that  it  will  do  me 
good  to  contribute  my  mite  to  the  deliverance  of  the  father- 
land. I  am  not  gentle  and  patient  enough  to  sit  quietly  at 
home  and  wait  until  dear  Liberty  looks  into  my  door  and  says 
to  me,  '  God  bless  you,  Lizzie  !  I  am  here  now.  and  you  also 
may  profit  by  the  happiness  which  will  be  caused  by  my  arri- 
val.' No,  Elza,  I  must  go  with  my  father,  I  must  help  him  to 
find  this  dear  Liberty  on  the  mountains  and  in  the  valleys, 
and  must  say  to  her, '  God  bless  thee,  Liberty  !  I  am  here  now, 
and  thou  mayst  profit  by  my  strength,  and  I  will  help  thee 
that  thou  mayst  rule  again  over  the  mountains  and  valleys  of 
our  dear  Tyrol.'" 

"  Oh,  Lizzie,  you  are  a  genuine  heroine  ! "  exc]aimed  Elza  ; 
"I  blush  to  think  that  I  shall  not  accompany  you  and  fight  by 
your  side  for  Liberty." 

"  You  cannot,"  said  Lizzie,  gravely.  "  You  have  an  aged 
father  who  will  stay  at  home,  and  whom  you  must  take  care 
of ;  and  the  poor  and  sick  count  upon  you,  for  they  know 
that  Elza  will  always  be  their  good  angel.  Stay  at  home  and 
pray  for  me.  But  never  go  down  to  my  father's  house,  do  not 
inquire  for  Ulrich,  and  do  not  try  to  have  him  brought  to  the 
castle  here.  He  is  under  Schropfel's  surveillance,  and  Schrop- 
fel  would  shoot  him  if  he  should  suspect  that  all  is  not  as  it 
should  be.  But  if  God  should  decree  my  death,  Elza,  Ulrich 
would  be  free  at  once,  and  my  father  would  not  injure  him, 


THE  BRIDGE  OF  ST.  LAWRENCE.  147 

inasmuch  as  he  was  his  Lizzie's  affianced  bridegroom.  He 
would  set  him  free.  Ulrich  would  then  come  to  you,  and,  Elza, 
you  will  tell  him  not  to  think  that  Lizzie  Wallner  was  a  bad 
girl,  and  that  she  was  intent  only  on  getting  an  aristocratic 
husband.  You  will  tell  him  that  my  sole  object  was  to  save 
his  life,  and  that  I  never  thought  of  marrying  him.  You  will 
tell  him  also  that  I  forgave  him  the  injury  which  he  did  me  to- 
day, and  that  I  shall  pray  to  God  Almighty  for  him.  And  when 
you  stand  before  God's  altar,  and  the  priest  joins  your  hands, 
think  of  me,  and  do  not  forget  that  I  loved  you,  dearest  Elza, 
better  than  any  once  else  on  earth.  And  now,  farewell,  Elza  ; 
I  shall  not  kiss  you  again,  for  it  makes  my  heart  heavy." 

"  Lizzie,  Lizzie  1 "  shouted  a  powerful  voice  outside  at  this 
moment ;  "  Lizzie,  where  are  you  ?  ;Tis  time  to  set  out ! " 

"  Here  I  am,  dear  father  ! "  exclaimed  Lizzie,  stepping 
quickly  out  on  the  balcony.  "  I  shall  come  down  to  you  now. 
I  was  only  taking  leave  of  Elza.  Now  I  am  ready  to  set  out  and 
fight  for  the  dear  Tyrol  and  the  dear  Emperor  Francis  ! " 

"  Hurrah,  we  will  do  so  !  "  cried  the  Tyrolese.  "  We  will 
fight  for  the  dear  Tyrol  and  the  dear  Emperor  Francis  !  Hur- 
rah !  We  will  expel  the  Bavarians  !  Hurrah  !  the  Austrians 
are  coming  !  Hurrah  !  the  Tyrol  will  be  free  again  ! " 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  BRIDGE  OF  ST.   LAWRENCE. 

ANTHONY  WALLNER  and  his  men  marched  all  day  and  all 
night  through  the  Puster  valley,  along  the  road  to  the  Miihl- 
bach  pass.  His  daughter  Eliza,  and  young  John  Panzl,  his 
friend  and  sympathizer,  walked  by  his  side  ;  and  behind  him 
marched  the  brave  Tyrolese.  whose  force  gained  strength  at 
every  step  as  it  advanced,  and  who,  amidst  the  most  enthusi- 
astic acclamations,  appointed  Anthony  Wallner  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  men  of  the  Puster  valley,  and  John  Panzl  his 
lieutenant  and  assistant. 

"  I  accept  the  position,  my  friends,"  said  Wallner,  taking 


148  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

off  his  hat  and  kindly  greeting  the  men  ;  "  yes,  I  accept  the 
position,  and  will  be  your  commander,  and  will  always 
lead  you  faithfully  and  honestly  against  the  enemy.  But 
will  you  always  follow  me  ?  Will  you  not  be  afraid 
of  the  enemy's  fire,  and  take  to  your  heels  before  his 
artillery  ? " 

"  No,  we  will  not,"  shouted  the  brave  men  ;  "  we  will 
stand  by  you  faithfully,  and  fight  with  you  for  the  father- 
land and  the  emperor  !  " 

"  That  is  right,  men,"  cried  John  Panzl,  making  a  leap 
which  drew  loud  exclamations  of  admiration  from  the  Tyro- 
lese.  "  I  tell  you  it  is  right  in  you  to  think  so,  and  therefore  I 
will  likewise  joyfully  accept  the  honor  which  you  have  offered 
to  me  ;  I  will  be  your  second  commander,  will  always  obey  the 
orders  of  our  brave  commander-in-chief,  and  assist  him  and 
you  in  driving  the  enemy  from  our  country,  for  the  glory  of 
God  and  our  emperor.  Ah,  my  dear  Tyrolese,  I  would  we  could 
catch  the  French  and  the  Boafoks  at  length,  take  them  by 
the  neck,  and  hurl  them  out  of  the  country.  I  tell  you,  after 
we  have  done  it,  I  shall  dance  so  merrily  with  Eliza  Wallner, 
my  dear  cousin,  that  the  snowy  heads  of  the  Gross-Glockner 
and  Venediger  will  become  warm  and  melt  with  delight. 
Lizzie,  we  two,  the  most  celebrated  dancers  of  the  whole 
Puster  valley,  will  perform  a  dance  in  honor  of  our  victory, 
will  we  not  ? " 

"  We  will,  Cousin  Panzl/'  said  Eliza,  smiling.  "  But  before 
dancing,  we  must  march  on  and  never  run  back. " 

"  No,  never  run  back,"  shouted  the  merry  and  courageous 
Tyrolese. 

"  Forward,  then,  forward  1 "  commanded  Anthony  Wall- 
ner, and  the  whole  force  set  out  again  and  marched  rapidly 
across  the  mountains  and  through  the  valleys  ;  it  was  re- 
ceived everywhere  with  deafening  cheers,  and  gained  at  every 
step  fresh  accessions  of  men,  who  rushed  enthusiastically  out 
of  their  huts,  armed  with  their  rifles,  or  other  weapons,  even 
though  they  had  only  wooden  clubs,  and  bravely  joined  the 
defenders  of  the  country. 

Already  they  approached  their  destination  ;  in  the  ex- 
pansive valley  below,  yonder,  lay  the  town  of  Brunecken, 


THE   BRIDftE   OF   ST.  LAWRENCE.  14.9 

surmounted  by  Castle  Bruneck  and  other  ancient  and  decay- 
ing feudal  castles;  and  behind  it,  on  the  way  down  toward 
Brixen,  in  the  narrower  gorge,  bordered  on  both  sides  by  pre- 
cipitous mountains,  through  which  the  Rienz  hurls  its  foam- 
ing waters,  they  beheld  already  the  small  town  of  St.  Law- 
rence. After  reaching  St.  Lawrence  they  had  only  an  hour's 
march  to  the  Muhlbach  pass,  which,  in  accordance  with  An- 
dreas Hofer's  orders,  the  brave  men  of  the  Puster  valley  were 
to  occupy  and  defend  against  the  enemy  moving  up  from 
Botzen. 

But  all  at  once,  right  in  the  midst  of  the  march,  Anthony 
Wallner  stood  still,  and,  turning  to  Panzl,  who  was  walking 
by  the  side  of  the  column,  gave  him  a  sign  to  halt.  The 
whole  column  stopped  and  listened. 

Yes,  there  was  no  doubt  about  it,  that  was  the  rattle  of 
musketry  at  a  distance  !  And  now  they  heard  also  the  loud 
booming  of  artillery,  and  the  ringing  of  the  tocsin  at  Bruneck- 
en  and  St.  Lawrence. 

"  Now  forward,  Tyrolese,  forward  ! "  shouted  Anthony 
Wallner.  "  At  the  double-quick  down  to  Brunecken  ! " 

"  Forward ! "  shouted  the  men ;  and  their  exclamations  were 
echoed  joyously  by  the  women  who  had  courageously  accom- 
panied their  husbands,  and  who  were  ready,  like  them,  to 
fight  for  their  country  and  their  emperor. 

They  marched  with  great  speed  down  the  Brunecken.  The 
whole  town  was  in  the  utmost  commotion.  Young  and  old 
men,  women,  children — all  were  hurrying  toward  the  gate 
leading  to  St.  Lawrence. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ? "  shouted  Anthony  Wallner,  grasp- 
ing the  arm  of  an  old  man,  who,  armed  with  a  pitchfork,  was 
speeding  along  at  a  furious  rate. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ? "  echoed  the  old  man,  endeavoring 
to  disengage  his  arm  from  Wallner's  powerful  grasp.  "  The 
matter  is,  that  the  insurrection  has  broken  out  at  length.  The 
Bavarians  are  bent  on  destroying  the  bridge  of  St.  Lawrence, 
in  order  to  prevent  the  Austrians  from  crossing  it.  The 
whole  military  detachment  left  our  place  some  time  ago  for 
the  bridge,  and  sappers  and  miners,  who  are  to  blow  it  up, 
have  arrived  this  morning  from  Brixen.  But  we  will  not 


150  ANDREAS   HOFEK 

allow  them  to  do  it.  They  must  shoot  us  all  before  we  permit 
them  to  destroy  the  bridge." 

"  No,  we  will  not  !  "  cried  Anthony  Wallner.  ''  Forward, 
men  of  the  Puster  valley,  forward  to  the  bridge  of  St.  Law- 
rence ! " 

They  continued  their  march  through  the  valley  at  the 
double-quick.  They  heard  the  rattle  of  musketry  and  the 
booming  of  artillery  more  and  more  distinctly,  and  now,  at 
a  bend  in  the  valley,  the  most  wonderful  and  striking  spec- 
tacle presented  itself  to  their  eyes. 

Yonder  at  a  distance  lay  the  well-known  bridge,  composed 
of  a  single  arch,  between  tremendous  rocks  ;  by  its  side  stood 
two  battalions  of  Bavarian  infantry  in  serried  ranks,  and  on  a 
knoll,  close  to  the  bank  of  the  river  Eienz,  had  been  planted 
three  cannon  pointed  menacingly  both  against  the  bridge 
and  the  people  who  were  moving  up  to  it  in  denser  and 
denser  masses.  Captains  and  other  officers  were  galloping 
up  and  down  in  front  of  the  Bavarians,  and  encouraging  their 
men  to  attack  these  insurgents  who  were  coming  up  behind, 
in  front,  and  on  both  sides  of  them.  The  courageous  sons  of 
the  Tyrol  rushed  down  from  all  the  heights  ;  the  tocsin  of 
Brunecken  and  St.  Lawrence  had  not  called  them  in  vain. 
They  came  down  the  mountains  and  up  the  valley  ;  they 
came,  men  and  women,  old  men  and  children  ;  and  all  were 
armed  :  he  who  did  not  possess  a  gun  had  a  flail,  a  pitchfork, 
or  a  club.  Like  a  broad,  motley  river,  the  crowd  was  surging 
up  from  all  sides,  and  at  the  head  and  in  the  midst  of  the  war- 
like groups  were  to  be  seen  priests  in  holy  vestments,  holding 
aloft  the  crucifix,  blessing  the  defenders  of  the  country  with 
fervent,  pious  words,  and  uttering  scathing  imprecations 
against  the  enemy. 

And  amidst  this  commotion  thundered  the  field-pieces, 
whose  balls  crashed  again  and  again  against  the  bridge  ;  the 
bells  were  tolled  in  the  church-steeples,  and  the  musketry  of 
the  Bavarians  rattled  incessantly.  But  few  of  their  bullets 
hit  their  aim.  The  Tyrolese  were  too  remote  from  them, 
and  only  occasionally  a  loud  scream  indicated  that  a  half- 
spent,  bullet  had  found  its  way  into  the  breast  of  a  Tyrolese. 
More  fatal  and  unerring  were  the  bullets  of  the  Tyrolese 


THE  BRIDGE   OF  ST.  LAWRENCE.  151 

sharpshooters,  who  had  concealed  themselves  on  the  heights 
on  both  sides  of  the  valley,  and  fired  from  their  hiding-places 
at  the  Bavarians,  never  missing  their  aim  and  picking  off  a 
soldier  by  every  shot  they  discharged. 

Anthony  Wallner  comprehended  the  whole  situation  at  a 
glance.  "  Boys  !  "  he  shouted,  in  a  ringing  voice,  ''  we  must 
take  the  cannon.  We  must  not  permit  the  enemy  to  destroy 
the  bridge  which  the  Austrians  are  to  cross.  Let  us  attack 
the  Bavarians  !  We  must  take  the  cannon  !  " 

"Yes!"  shouted  the  men,  "we  must  take  the  can- 
non ! " 

And  the  shouts  reached  another  troop  of  armed  peasants, 
•who  repeated  it  with  tumultuous  enthusiasm,  and  soon  the 
men  on  the  heights  and  in  the  valley  cried,  "  We  must  take 
the  cannon  ! " 

Anthony  Wallner  gave  the  signal  to  his  sharpshooters,  and 
moved  with  them  into  a  small  forest  extending  up  the  moun- 
tain near  the  cannon.  The  courageous  men  disappeared  soon 
in  the  thicket,  and,  as  if  in  accordance  with  a  general  agree- 
ment, the  other  Tyrolese  likewise  entered  the  forest.  Below, 
in  the  valley,  knelt  the  women  and  children,  and  before  them 
stood  the  priests  with  their  crucifixes,  protecting  them  there- 
with, as  it  were,  from  the  enemy  who  was  posted  on  the  other 
side  of  the  valley,  and  whose  ranks  were  thinned  more  and 
more  by  the  bullets  of  the  Tyrolese. 

All  at  once,  on  the  height  above  the  cannon,  where  there 
was  a  clearing,  and  where  the  rocks  were  moss-grown  and 
bare,  the  Tyrolese  were  seen  rushing  in  dense  masses  from 
the  forest.  They  were  headed  by  Anthony  Wallner  and  John 
Panzl.  Each  of  them  jumped  on  a  projection  of  the  rocks 
and  raised  his  rifle.  They  fired,  and  two  gunners  fell  mor- 
tally wounded  near  the  cannon. 

The  Tyrolese  greeted  this  exploit  of  their  leaders  with  loud 
cheers  ;  but  up  from  the  Bavarians  resounded  the  commands 
of  the  officers  ;  a  whole  volley  crashed,  the  bullets  whistled 
round  the  ears  of  Wallner  and  Panzl,  but  none  hit  them  ;  and 
when  the  smoke  cleared  away,  John  Panzl  was  seen  to  make 
a  triumphant  leap  in  the  air,  which  he  accompanied  with  a 
shout  of  victory,  while  Anthony  Wallner  calmly  raised  his 


152  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

rifle  again.  He  fired,  and  the  gunner  at  the  third  field-piece 
fell  dead. 

"  Now,  boys,  at  them  ;  we  must  take  the  cannon  !  "  shouted 
Wallner,  jumping  forward,  and  the  Tyrolese  followed  him 
down  the  slope  with  furious  shouts. 

"  Forward,  forward  ! "  shouted  the  lieutenant-colonel  in  the 
valley  to  his  Bavarians  ;  "forward  !  the  cannon  must  not  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  peasants  ;  we  must  defend  them  to  the 
last  man.  Therefore,  forward  at  the  double-quick  ! " 

And  the  Bavarians  rushed  forward  up  the  slope. 

But  the  Tyrolese  had  already  succeeded  in  shooting  or 
knocking  down  all  the  gunners,  and  taken  possession  of  the 
cannon.  While  Anthony  Wallner,  at  the  head  of  a  furious 
detachment  of  his  men,  hastened  to  meet  the  approaching  Ba- 
varians, and  hurled  death  and  destruction  into  their  ranks, 
John  Panzl  remained  with  the  others  to  defend  the  guns. 

A  furious  hand-to-hand  fight  now  arose ;  the  Bavarians 
were  repulsed  again  and  again  by  the  Tyrolese,  and  the  sharp- 
shooters, posted  behind  the  trees  and  rocks,  assisted  their  fight- 
ing brethren  with  their  rifles,  which,  aimed  steadily,  never 
missed  their  man.  But  the  Bavarians,  who  were  drawn  up 
farther  down  in  the  valley,  likewise  endeavored  to  assist  their 
struggling  comrades  :  but  the  bullets  which  they  fired  up  the 
hill  frequently  struck  into  the  ranks  of  their  countrymen,  and 
not  into  those  of  the  Tyrolese.  Often,  on  the  other  hand, 
these  bullets  did  not  miss  their  aim,  but  carried  wounds  and 
death  into  the  midst  of  the  insurgents.  Whenever  this  oc- 
curred a  young  woman  was  seen  to  rush  amidst  the  deadliest 
shower  of  bullets  into  the  ranks  of  the  fighting  men,  lift  up 
the  fallen  brave,  and  carry  him  in  her  strong  arms  out  of  the 
thickest  of  the  fight  to  the  quiet  spot  on  the  edge  of  the  forest, 
which  a  protruding  rock  protected  from  the  bullets  of  the 
enemy. 

This  young  woman  was  Eliza  Wallner.  Behind  the  rock 
she  had  established  a  sort  of  field  hospital ;  a  few  women  and 
girls  had  assembled  around  her  there,  and  taken  upon  them- 
selves the  sacred  care  for  the  wounded,  while  two  priests  had 
joined  them  to  administer  extreme  unction  to  the  dying.  But 
Eliza  Wallner  had  reserved  the  most  difficult  and  dangerous 


THE  BRIDGE  OF  ST.  LAWRENCE.  153 

part  of  this  work  of  love  for  herself.  She  alone  was  cour- 
ageous enough  to  plunge  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight  to  re- 
move the  fallen  brethren  ;  she  alone  was  strong  enough  to 
carry  them  to  the  quiet  asylum,  and  it  was  only  the  joyous 
enthusiasm  inspired  by  the  consciousness  of  doing  good  that 
imparted  this  strength  to  her.  Her  eyes  were  radiant,  her 
cheeks  were  flushed,  and  the  face  of  the  young  girl,  formerly 
so  rosy  and  serene,  exhibited  now  the  transparent  paleness, 
and  grave,  proud  calmness  which  only  great  resolves  and  sub- 
lime moments  impart  to  the  human  countenance. 

And  the  women  followed  her  example  with  joyous  zeal ; 
they  washed  the  wounds  of  the  brave  Tyrolese  with  water 
fetched  from  the  neighboring  spring,  tore  their  handkerchiefs 
and  dresses  to  make  the  necessary  bandages  of  them,  and 
closed,  with  tears  of  devout  compassion,  the  eyes  of  those  who 
gave  up  the  ghost  amid  the  blessings  of  the  priests. 

From  these  pious  works  of  charity  the  women  were  sud- 
denly aroused  by  the  loud  cheers  of  the  Tyrolese.  Eliza 
sprang  forth  from  behind  the  rock  to  see  what  was  the  matter. 
Renewed  and  still  louder  cheers  resounded,  for  the  victory  was 
gained.  Anthony  Wallner  and  his  men  had  attained  their 
object.  They  had  succeeded  in  hurling  the  three  field-pieces 
from  the  height  into  the  Rienz,  which  was  rolling  along  far 
below  in  its  rocky  bed.  The  earth  was  shaking  yet  from  the 
terrific  crash,  and  echo  was  resounding  still  with  the  thun- 
dering noise  with  which  the  field-pieces  had  fallen  into  the 
Rienz,  whose  waters  had  hurled  their  foaming  spray  into  the 
air,  and  were  rolling  now  with  an  angry  roar  over  the  sunken 
cannon. 

This  exploit,  which  excited  the  transports  of  the  Tyrolese, 
exerted  a  contrary  effect  upon  the  Bavarians.  They  had  lost 
their  artillery,  and  with  it  the  means  of  blowing  up  the 
bridge  ;  and  now  they  stood  before  the  enemy  uncovered  and 
almost  defenceless.  In  obedience  to  a  loud  command  uttered 
by  Anthony  Wallner,  the  Tyrolese  returned  quickly  into  the 
forest,  and,  hidden  behind  trees  and  rocks,  hit  a  Bavarian 
with  every  bullet,  while  the  Bavarians  vainly  fired  at  the  well- 
concealed  enemy. 

The  commander  of  the  Bavarians,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
11 


154  ANDREAS  HOFEB. 

Wreden,  perceiving  the  danger  and  uselessness  of  a  continu- 
ance of  the  struggle,  ordered  his  troops  to  retreat ;  and  no 
sooner  had  the  Bavarians  received  this  longed-for  order,  than 
they  fell  back  at  the  double-quick  from  the  bridge  and  took 
the  road  to  Sterzing. 

This  retreat  of  the  enemy  was  greeted  by  the  renewed 
cheers  which  Eliza  Wallner  had  heard  ;  and,  both  laughing 
and  weeping  for  joy,  she  hastened  to  fold  her  father  to  hei 
heart,  and  thank  God  that  no  bullet  had  hit  him. 

Wallner  embraced  her  tenderly,  and  imprinted  a  kiss  on 
her  forehead. 

"  You  have  behaved  very  bravely,  Lizzie,"  he  said  ;  "  I  saw 
how  you  carried  our  poor  brethren  out  of  the  thickest  of  the 
fight.  My  heart  was  proud  of  you,  and  I  should  not  have 
wept  to-day  even  though  you  had  fallen  in  the  sacred  service 
of  the  fatherland.  But  I  thank  God  that  nothing  has  hap- 
pened to  you,  and  I  beseech  you,  dearest  Lizzie,  do  not  accom- 
pany us  any  farther.  I  now  believe  again  in  you,  and  I  know 
that  you  are  a  true  daughter  of  the  Tyrol,  although  you  un- 
fortunately love  a  Bavarian.  Therefore  go  home  ;  for  it  is  no 
woman's  work  that  is  in  store  for  us  ;  we  have  a  hard  struggle 
before  us,  and  a  great  deal  of  blood  will  be  shed  before  we 
have  driven  the  mean  Bavarians  and  the  accursed  French 
from  >ur  beloved  country." 

"  No,  father,  I  shall  stay  with  you,"  exclaimed  Eliza,  with 
eager  determination.  "  I  am  not  able  to  sit  at  home  and  spin 
and  pray  when  my  father  is  fighting  for  the  country.  Mother 
can  attend  alone  to  our  household  affairs,  and  Shropfel 
will  assist  her  ;  but  you  cannot  attend  alone  to  the  hard  work 
here,  and  I  will  help  you,  dearest  father.  I  will  be  the  doctor 
and  surgeon  of  your  men  until  you  have  found  a  better  and 
more  skilful  physician.  You  must  not  reject  me,  dearest 
father,  for  you  would  commit  wrong  against  the  poor  wounded 
who  have  no  other  assistance  than  what  they  receive  at  my 
hands  and  at  those  of  the  women  whom  I  beg  and  persuade  to 
help  me." 

"  You  are  right,  Lizzie  ;  it  would  be  wrong  in  me  to  send 
you  home  and  not  permit  you  to  assist  and  nurse  the  wound- 
ed," said  her  father,  gravely.  "  May  God  and  the  Holy  Vir- 


THE   BRIDGE   OF   LADITCH.  155 

gin  help  and  protect  you  !  I  devote  you  to  the  fatherland  to 
which  I  devote  myself." 

He  kissed  her  once  more,  and  then  turned  to  the  Tyrolese, 
who,  encamped  in  groups  on  the  edge  of  the  forest,  and  repos- 
ing from  the  struggle,  were  partaking  of  the  bread  and  meat 
which  they  had  brought  along  in  their  haversacks. 

"  Brethren,"  exclaimed  Anthony  Wallner,  in  a  powerful 
voice,  "  now  let  us  be  up  and  doing  !  "We  must  cut  off  the 
enemy's  retreat  to  Sterzing.  We  must  also  occupy  the  Miihl- 
bach  pass,  as  Andreas  Hofer  ordered  us  to  do  in  the  Archduke 
John's  name.  The  enemy  has  set  out  thither,  and  if  he  gets 
before  us  through  the  gap  of  Brixen  and  reaches  the  bridge  of 
Laditch,  we  shall  be  unable  to  prevent  him  from  passing 
through  the  Muhlbach  pass  and  marching  to  Sterzing.  Hence, 
we  are  not  at  liberty  to  repose  now,  but  must  advance  rapidly. 
One  detachment  of  our  men,  commanded  by  my  Lieutenant 
Panzl,  will  push  on  quickly  on  the  mountain-road  to  the 
Muhlbach  pass.  The  rest  of  us  will  follow  you,  but  we  must 
previously  detain  the  enemy  at  the  gap  of  Brixen  ;  and  while 
we  are  doing  duty,  another  detachment  of  our  men  will  go 
farther  down  to  the  bridge  of  Laditch  and  destroy  it  in  order 
to  prevent  the  enemy  from  crossing  the  Eisach.  Forward, 
my  friends  !  Forward  to  the  gap  of  Brixen  !  We  must  roll 
down  trees,  detach  large  fragments  from  the  rocks,  and  hurl 
them  down  on  the  enemy  ;  we  must  fire  at  them  from  the 
heights  with  deadly  certainty,  and  every  bullet  must  hit  its 
man.  Forward  !  forward  I  To  the  bridge  of  Laditch  ! '' 

"  Yes,  yes  ! "  exclaimed  the  Tyrolese,  with  enthusiastic 
courage.  "  Forward  to  the  bridge  of  Laditch  1 " 


CHAFFER  XV. 

THE  BRIDGE  OF  LADITCH. 

NIGHT  had  at  length  brought  some  repose  to  the  exhausted 
Bavarians.  At  no  great  distance  from  the  gap  of  Brixen  they 
had  halted  late  in  the  evening,  and  encamped  on  the  bare 


156  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

ground  in  the  valley  below.  The  green  turf  was  their  bed,  a 
stone  their  pillow  ;  nevertheless,  they  had  been  able  to  enjoy 
a  few  hours  of  peaceful  slumber,  for  they  were  familiar  with 
the  habits  of  the  Tyrolese  ;  they  knew  that  they  never  under- 
took any  thing,  not  even  a  hunting-excursion,  in  the  dead  of 
night,  and  that  they  had  nothing  to  fear  from  them  until  sun- 
rise. 

But  now  the  first  streaks  of  dawn  illuminated  the  sky  ;  it 
was  time,  therefore,  to  continue  the  march.  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel von  Wreden  rose  from  the  couch  which  the  soldiers  had 
prepared  for  him  of  moss  and  branches,  and  reviewed,  accom- 
panied by  his  officers,  his  small  force,  which  began  sullenly 
and  silently  to  form  in  line.  A  cloud  darkened  Wreden's 
face  when,  marching  through  the  ranks,  he  counted  the  num- 
ber of  his  soldiers.  He  had  arrived  yesterday  at  the  bridge  of 
St.  Lawrence  with  nearly  four  hundred  men  ;  scarcely  one- 
half  of  them  were  left  now  ;  the  other  half  lay  slain  at  the 
bridge  of  St.  Lawrence,  or,  exhausted  by  the  loss  of  blood  and 
by  the  pains  of  gaping  wounds,  had  sunk  down  on  the  road 
and  been  unable  to  continue  the  march. 

"  And  these  poor  men  will  likewise  be  killed  to-day  unless 
speedy  succor  comes,''  murmured  the  lieutenant-colonel  to 
himself  ;  "  we  are  all  lost  if  the  miserable  rabble  of  peasants 
reach  the  gap  of  Brixen  before  us.  We  are  all  lost,  for  we 
shall  be  entirely  cut  off  from  our  friends  and  surrounded  by 
our  enemies,  who  are  able  to  avail  themselves  of  their  moun- 
tain fastnesses  and  hiding-places,  while  we  must  march  through 
the  valley  and  across  the  open  plain.  But  all  these  com- 
plaints are  useless.  We  must  do  our  duty  !  The  soldier's  life 
belongs  to  his  oath  and  his  king  ;  and  if  he  falls  in  the  service, 
he  has  done  his  duty." 

And  with  strong  determination  and  bold  courage  the  lieu- 
tenant-colonel threw  back  his  head,  and  fixed  his  eye  stead- 
fastly on  his  soldiers. 

"  Forward,"  he  shouted,  u  forward,  boys  !  Forward  against 
these  miserable  peasants,  who  have  violated  the  faith  they 
plighted  to  our  king.  Forward  !  forward  ! " 

The  column,  headed  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  von  Wreden, 
commenced  moving.  His  eyes  glanced  anxiously  over  the 


THE   BRIDGE   OF   LADITCH.  157 

plain  now  opening  before  them.  Suddenly  they  are  riveted 
on  a  point  yonder  on  the  mountain-road  leading  southward  to 
Italy.  What  is  that  ?  Does  it  not  flash  there  like  a  mass  of 
bayonets  ?  Does  it  not  look  as  though  a  brilliant  serpent,  glit- 
tering in  blue,  red,  and  gold,  were  moving  along  the  road  ?  It 
draws  nearer  and  nearer,  and  the  lieutenant-colonel  is  able  to 
distinguish  its  parts.  Yes,  these  parts  are  soldiers  ;  this  ser- 
pent consists  of  regiments  marching  along  in  serried  ranks. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  von  Wreden  uttered  a  cry  of  joy  and 
galloped  forward.  Already  he  discerned  distinctly  the  uni- 
forms of  the  staff -officers  riding  at  the  head  of  the  column. 
They  were  friends  ;  they  were  French  soldiers  headed  by 
General  Bisson. 

Wreden  galloped  forward  to  salute  the  general  and  com- 
municate to  him  in  brief,  winged  words  his  own  disaster  and 
his  apprehensions  regarding  the  immediate  future. 

'•  Well,  you  have  nothing  to  fear  now,"  said  General  Bis- 
son, with  a  pleasant  and  proud  smile.  "  It  was  no  accident, 
but  a  decree  of  Fate,  that  caused  us  to  meet  here.  I  was  or- 
dered by  my  emperor  to  march  with  a  column  of  four  thou- 
sand men  from  Mantua  to  Ratisbon,  and  I  am  now  on  the  road 
to  the  latter  place.  Hence,  our  route  leads  us  through  the  gap 
of  Brixen,  and  as  a  matter  of  course  you  will  join  us  with  your 
troops.  I  hope  our  united  forces  will  succeed  in  routing  these 
miserable  peasants  ! " 

"  Yes,  if  we  could  meet  them  in  the  open  plain,"  sighed 
Lieutenant-Colonel  von  Wreden.  "  But  in  their  mountains 
and  gorges  our  thousands  will  vainly  struggle  against  their 
hundreds.  The  bulwarks  of  their  mountains  protect  them." 

"  We  shall  drive  them  from  these  bulwarks,"  said  General 
Bisson,  haughtily.  "  But  I  believe  the  rabble  will  not  even 
wait  for  this,  but  take  to  their  heels  as  soon  as  they  see  the  head 
of  .my  column.  Therefore,  join  my  regiments,  lieutenant- 
colpnel,  and  let  us  march  fearlessly  through  the  gap  of 
Brixen.1' 

Half  an  hour  afterward  they  had  reached  the  dark  and 
awe-inspiring  gap  of  Brixen,  and  the  united  Bavarian  and 
French  troops  marched  with  a  measured  step  along  the  nar- 
row road,  on  both  sides  of  which  rose  steep  gray  rocks,  covered 


158  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

here  and  there  with  small  pine  forests,  and  then  again  exhibit 
ing  their  naked,  moss-grown  walls,  crowned  above  with  their 
snowy  summits  glistening  like  burnished  silver  in  the  morn- 
ing sun. 

The  column  under  General  Bisson  penetrated  deeper  and 
deeper  into  the  gorge.  Enormous  rocks  now  closed  the  road 
in  their  front  and  rear.  A  profound,  awful  stillness  surround- 
ed them  ;  only  here  and  there  they  heard  the  rustling  of  a 
cascade  falling  down  from  the  mountains  with  silvery  spray, 
and  flowing  finally  as  a  murmuring  rivulet  through  the  val- 
ley ;  now  and  then  they  heard  also  the  hoarse  croaking  of 
some  bird  of  prey  soaring  in  the  air  ;  otherwise,  all  was  still. 

General  Bissou,  who  was  riding  in  the  middle  of  his 
column,  turned  smilingly  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wreden  : 
"  Did  I  not  tell  you,  my  dear  lieutenant-colonel,"  he  said,  "  that 
these  miserable  peasants  would  take  to  their  heels  so  soon  as 
our  column  came  in  sight  ?  They  were,  perhaps,  able  to  cope 
with  your  few  hundred  men,  but  my  four  thousand  men—" 

The  loud  crash  of  a  rifle  interrupted  his  sentence  ;  a  second, 
third,  and  fourth  report  followed  in  rapid  succession.  The 
heights  seemed  all  at  once  to  bristle  with  enemies.  Like  an 
enormous  man-of-war,  lying  at  first  calm  and  peaceful,  and 
then  opening  her  port-holes,  these  gray  rocks  seemed  sud- 
denly to  open  all  their  port-holes  and  pour  out  death  and  de- 
struction. 

From  the  rock  in  front  yonder,  from  the  steep  mountains 
on  both  sides,  from  the  precipitous  hill  jutting  out  in  their 
rear  and  closing  the  gloomy  gorge,  rifle  shots  rattled  down 
with  unerring  aim  ;  every  bullet  hit  its  man,  every  bullet 
struck  down  a  soldier  in  the  ranks  of  the  Bavarians  and 
French  ;  then  were  heard  the  triumphant  cheers  of  the  Tyro- 
lese,  who,  for  a  moment,  stepped  forth  from  their  safe  hiding- 
places,  danced  on  the  rocks,  jeered  at  the  enemy  with  loud,  scorn- 
ful words,  and  disappeared  again  so  quickly,  that  the  bullets 
which  the  soldiers  fired  at  them  glanced  harmlessly  from  the 
flanks  of  the  rocks. 

But  the  Tyrolese  fought  not  with  their  rifles  alone  against 
the  enemy  marching  through  the  deep  and  awful  gorge. 
Nature  had  prepared  other  means  of  defence  for  them ;  it  had 


THE   BRIDGE   OF   LADITCH.  159 

given  them  trees  and  rocks.  They  hurled  the  trees,  which  the 
storms  had  felled  years  ago,  and  which  fragments  of  rock  had 
held  on  the  brink  of  the  precipice,  into  the  depth  of  the  gorge  ; 
they  detached  large  fragments  from  the  rocks,  and  rolled  them 
down  on  the  soldiers,  many  of  whom  were  crushed  by  these 
terrible  missiles.  And  when  these  trees  and  rocks  fell  into  the 
depth,  and  spread  death  and  confusion  in  the  ranks  of 
the  soldiers,  the  Tyrolese  profited  by  this  moment  to  aim 
and  strike  down  additional  victims  by  their  rifle  bullets. 

And  there  was  no  escape  for  these  poor  soldiers,  who,  ex- 
posed to  the  fury  of  their  enemies,  did  not  even  enjoy  the  con- 
solation of  wreaking  vengeance  upon  them.  In  silent  de- 
spair, and  shedding  tears  of  rage,  the  French  and  Bavarians 
continued  their  march  ;  the  corpses  of  their  brethren,  which 
the  rear-guard  met  on  the  horrible  road,  could  not  detain 
them  ;  they  had  to  pass  over  them,  and  abstain  even  from 
coming  to  the  assistance  of  their  dying  friends  ;  crushed  under 
their  feet,  the  latter  had  to  give  up  the  ghost. 

At  length  the  gorge  widens  before  them  ;  the  rocks  in 
front  recede  on  both  sides,  and  a  bright,  expansive  plain  opens 
to  their  view.  The  soldiers  greet  this  prospect  with  loud 
cheers  of  delight,  which  their  officers  dare  not  repress  in  the 
name  of  discipline  ;  for,  on  emerging  from  an  open  grave,  a 
soldier  feels  like  a  human  being,  and  thanks  God  for  the  pres- 
ervation of  his  life.  Hundreds  had  fallen,  but  several  thou- 
sands were  left,  and  their  ardent  rage,  their  fiery  revengeful- 
ness  longed  for  the  struggle  in  which  they  might  avenge  their 
fallen  comrades.  And  Fate  seemed  intent  on  fulfilling  their 
wishes.  Yonder,  at  the  extremity  of  the  plain  through  which 
the  soldiers  were  now  marching  ;  yonder,  on  the  bank  of  the 
Eisach,  was  seen  a  motley  crowd  ascending  the  slopes  of  the 
mountains  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 

"  Yes,  there  are  the  Tyrolese,  there  are  our  enemies,"  cried 
the  Bavarians  and  French,  with  grim  satisfaction  ;  and  they 
marched  at  the  double-quick  toward  the  bank  of  the  river. 

u  The  peasants,  I  believe,  intend  to  prevent  us  from  crossing 
the  river,''  said  General  Bisson,  with  a  contemptuous  shrug. 

"  They  have  taken  position  in  front  of  the  bridge  of  La- 
ditch,  and  so  closely  that  I  can  see  nothing  of  it,"  replied 


160  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  von  Wreden.  Suddenly  he  uttered  a  cry 
of  surprise,  and  looked  steadfastly  toward  the  extremity  of 
the  valley,  where  the  rocks  jutted  out  again  into  it,  and  where 
the  furious  Eisach  makes  a  sudden  bend  from  one  side  of  the 
valley  to  the  other.  Formerly  there  had  risen  here,  between 
tremendous  rocks,  the  majestic  arch  of  the  bridge  of  Laditch. 
For  many  centuries  past  this  wonderful  arch  had  spanned  the 
abyss  ;  it  was  a  monument  dating  from  the  era  of  the  ancient 
Romans,  and  Caesar  himself,  perhaps,  had  crossed  this  bridge 
on  his  march  against  the  free  nations  of  the  North.  But  now 
this  arch  had  disappeared,  or  rather  its  central  part  had  been 
removed,  and  between  its  two  extremities  yawned  a  terrible 
abyss,  through  which  the  Eisach  rushed  with  thundering 
noise. 

"  The  Tyrolese  have  destroyed  the  bridge  ! "  exclaimed 
Von  Wreden,  in  dismay. 

'•  Ah,  the  brigands  ! "  said  Bisson,  contemptuously.  "  It 
will,  therefore,  be  necessary  for  us  to  construct  a  temporary 
bridge  in  order  to  get  over  to  the  other  side." 

Yes,  the  Tyrolese  had  destroyed  the  bridge  of  Laditch  ;  and 
while  a  small  division  of  their  men  had  quickly  moved  on  to 
occupy  the  Muhlbach  pass,  the  others,  under  the  command  of 
Anthony  Wallner,  had  taken  position  on  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  Eisach,  in  order  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  crossing  the 
river.  All  the  men  from  the  neighboring  village  of  Laditch 
had  joined  the  forces  of  Anthony  Wallner,  and  on  the  moun- 
tains stood  the  sharpshooters  from  the  villages  far  and  near, 
called  out  by  the  tocsin,  and  ready  to  dispute  every  inch  of  the 
beloved  soil  with  the  enemy. 

The  columns  of  the  Bavarians  and  French  approached,  and 
shots  were  exchanged  on  both  sides.  "  Forward  ! "  shouted 
Anthony  Wallner,  and  he  advanced  with  his  brave  men  to  the 
Puster  valley,  close  to  the  bridge  upon  which  the  enemy  was 
moving  up. 

The  bullets  whistled  around  him,  but  he  paid  no  attention 
to  them  ;  he  saw  only  the  enemy,  and  not  the  dangers  mena- 
cing him.  But  the  other  Tyrolese  saw  them  only  too  well. 
Up  in  the  mountains  they  were  brave  and  resolute  ;  but  in 
the  plain,  where  they  were  on  equal  ground  with  the  enemy. 


THE   BRIDGE   OF   LADITCH.  161 

they  felt  ill  at  ease  and  anxious.  Moreover,  the  odds  of  the 
enemy  were  truly  formidable,  not  only  iu  numbers  but  also  in 
arms.  Only  a  part  of  the  Tyrolese  were  provided  with  rifles 
and  muskets  ;  more  than  half  of  them  were  armed  only  with 
flails,  pitchforks,  and  clubs.  The  soldiers  had  not  only  their 
muskets,  but  also  field-pieces,  whose  balls  thundered  now 
across  the  plain  and  carried  death  into  the  ranks  of  the  Tyro- 
lese. 

Terror  and  dismay  seized  the  sharpshooters  ;  they  turned 
and  began  to  flee  into  the  mountains.  But  an  unexpected  ob- 
stacle obstructed  their. path.  A  number  of  intrepid  women, 
who  had  flocked  to  the  scene  from  the  neighboring  villages, 
met  them  at  this  moment.  They  received  the  fugitives  with 
threatening  invectives  ;  they  drove  them  back  with  uplifted 
arms,  with  flaming  eyes,  with  imprecations,  and  scornful 
laughter,  down  the  slope,  regardless  of  the  bullets  whistling 
around  them,  and  of  the  enemy  moving  up  closer  and  closer 
to  them.  The  fugitives  are  obliged  to  turn  and  plunge  once 
more  into  the  struggle,  which  becomes  more  and  more  furi- 
ous. Yonder,  close  to  the  fragments  of  the  bridge,  stand  the 
Tyrolese  ;  here,  near  the  fragments  on  this  side  of  the  river, 
are  the  soldiers  and  the  French  engineers  advancing  to  con- 
struct a  temporary  bridge  across  the  chasm,  and  thereby  unite 
again  the  disrupted  ends  of  the  ancient  Roman  structure. 

The  fire  of  the  Tyrolese  becomes  weaker  ;  loud  lamenta- 
tions burst  from  their  ranks.  They  are  exhausted  and  weary, 
owing  to  the  heavy  exertions  of  the  day  ;  hunger  and  thirst 
torment  them,  and  their  strength  is  gone. 

"  Give  us  something  to  eat  !  Give  us  something  to  drink  ! " 
they  shout  to  the  women  occupying  the  mountain-path  in  their 
rear  up  to  the  solitary  house,  the  inn  Zur  Eisach,  which  has 
already  been  hit  by  many  a  ball  from  the  enemy's  guns. 

"  Courage,  brethren,  courage  ! "  shouted  Eliza  Wallner. 
"I  will  bring  you  refreshments." 

And,  like  a  gazelle,  she  hastens  up  the  hillside,  skipping 
from  rock  to  rock  until  she  reaches  the  battered  house.  The 
bullets  whistle  around  her,  but  she  laughs  at  them,  and  does 
not  even  turn  to  vouchsafe  a  glance  at  the  danger.  She  leaps 
on  courageously  ;  now  she  reaches  the  house,  she  disappears 


162  AXDREAS  HOFER. 

through  the  door,  and  no  sooner  has  she  entered  than  a  can- 
non-ball strikes  the  wall  right  above  the  door.  After  a  very 
brief  space  of  time,  Eliza  Wallner  reappears  in  the  door.  On 
her  head  she  carries  a  keg,  which  she  supports  with  both  her 
uplifted  arms.  With  a  serene  glance,  with  rosy  cheeks  and 
smiling  lips,  a  charming  picture  of  grace,  loveliness,  and  cour- 
ageous innocence,  she  descends  the  mountain-path  again,  and 
even  the  bullets  of  the  enemy  respect  her  ;  they  whistle  past 
her  on  both  sides,  but  do  not  hit  her.  Eliza  hastens  down  the 
slope,  and  now  she  reaches  the  bridge,  and  arrives  where  are 
posted  the  Tyrolese,  who  receive  the  courageous  girl  with 
deafening  cheers. 

All  at  once  she  feels  a  jerk  in  the  keg  on  her  head,  and 
immediately  after  its  contents  pour  in  a  clear  cold  stream 
down  on  her  face  and  neck.  A  bullet  had  struck  the  keg  and 
passed  clear  through  it.  Eliza  bursts  into  merry  laughter, 
lifts  the  keg  with  her  plump,  beautiful  arms  from  her  head, 
and  stops  the  two  holes  with  both  her  hands,  so  that  the  wine 
can  no  longer  run  out. 

"  Now  come,  boys,"  she  shouts,  in  a  loud,  merry  voice  ; 
"  come  and  drink,  else  the  wine  will  run  out.  The  enemy  has 
tapped  the  keg  ;  he  wished  to  save  us  the  trouble.  Come  and 
drink." 

"Stand  back,  Lizzie,"  shouts  Panzl  to  her;  "step  behind 
the  rock  yonder,  that  the  bullets  may  not  hit  you." 

"  I  shall  not  do  it,"  said  Eliza,  with  a  flushed  face  ;  u  I  shall 
not  conceal  myself.  I  am  a  true  daughter  of  the  Tyrol,  and 
God  will  protect  me  here  as  well  as  there. — Come,  boys,  and 
drink.  Bring  your  glasses,  or  rather  apply  your  mouth  to 
the  keg  and  drink." 

Two  young  Tyrolese  sharpshooters  hastened  to  her.  Eliza 
held  up  the  keg  ;  the  two  young  men  knelt  before  her  and 
applied  their  mouths  to  the  holes  made  by  the  bullet,  and 
sucked  out  the  wine,  looking  with  enamoured  glances  up  to 
the  heroic  girl  who  looked  down  on  them  smilingly. 

"Now  you  have  drunk  enough,  go  and  fight  again  for  the 
fatherland,"  she  said,  and  signed  to  two  other  sharpshooters 
to  refresh  themselves  from  the  keg.  The  two  young  men 
hastened  back  to  their  comrades,  not  knowing  whether  it  was 


ELIZA  WALLNER  BRINGING  THE  WINE. 


THE  BRIDGE   OF   LADITCH.  163 

the  wine  or  the  sight  of  the  lovely  Tyrolese  girl  that  tilled 
them  with  renewed  courage  and  enthusiasm. 

The  two  other  Tyrolese  had  drunk  likewise.  Suddenly 
another  bullet  whistles  along  and  darts  past  close  to  Eliza's 
cheeks,  causing  her  to  reel  for  a  moment.  A  cry  of  dismay 
burst  from  the  lips  of  those  who  saw  it ;  but  Eliza  already 
smiled  again,  and  she  exclaimed,  in  a  merry  voice  :  "  Make 
haste,  boys  !  else  another  bullet  will  come  and  pierce  the  keg 
again,  when  the  wine  will  run  into  the  grass.  Therefore, 
make  haste  ! " 

Two  other  Tyrolese  hastened  up  to  drink  ;  then  two  more, 
and  so  on,  until  the  keg  was  empty. 

"  Now  you  have  refreshed  yourselves,"  cried  Eliza,  "  and 
you  must  bravely  return  to  the  struggle." 

And  the  Tyrolese  took  position  on  the  river-bank,  with  re- 
doubled courage  and  enthusiasm,  to  prevent  the  French  from 
finishing  the  temporary  bridge. 

But  the  fire  of  the  enemy  thinned  the  ranks  of  the  Tyrolese 
fearfully  ;  their  shots  became  few  and  far  between,  and  gradu- 
ally a  regular  panic  seized  them.  They  began  to  give  way  ; 
even  the  scornful  cries  of  the  women,  who  tried  to  obstruct 
their  path,  were  powerless  to  keep  them  back.  They  pushed 
the  women  aside,  and  rushed  resistlessly  up  the  mountain- 
path. 

At  this  moment  loud  cheers  burst  from  the  lips  of  the  ene- 
my. The  Tyrolese  started.  They  looked  back,  and  saw  to 
their  dismay  that  the  engineers  had  succeeded  in  finishing  the 
temporary  bridge  across  the  Eisach,  and  that  nothing  pre- 
vented the  enemy  now  from  passing  over  to  their  side  of  the 
river. 

"  Surrender  !  Lay  doAvn  your  arms  ! "  shouted  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  von  Wreden,  on  the  other  bank. 

The  Tyrolese  were  silent,  and  gazed  with  mute  dismay 
upon  the  bridge.  All  at  once  they  heard  a  voice  resounding 
on  the  hills  above  them  as  it  were  from  the  clouds.  This  voice 
shouted  :  "  The  imperialists  are  coming  !  The  Austrians,  our 
saviours,  are  coming  !  " 

And  at  the  same  time  a  detachment  of  light-horse  appeared 
on  the  heights  of  Schaps.  They  galloped  down  the  slope,  and 


164  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

were  followed  by  several  companies  of  chasseurs  and  infantry, 
who  rushed  down  at  the  double-quick. 

Loud,  exulting  cheers  burst  from  the  lips  of  the  Tyro- 
lese,  and  found  thundering  echoes  in  the  mountains  and 
gorges. 

The  French  and  Bavarians  started,  for  this  sudden  ap- 
parition took  them  completely  by  surprise  ;  they  had  not 
even  suspected  that  the  Austrians  had  already  invaded 
the  Tyrol.  They  hesitated,  and  did  not  venture  to  cross  the 
river. 

This  hesitation  of  the  enemy  and  the  arrival  of  the  Austrians 
filled  the  Tyrolese  with  transports.  Some  threw  down  their 
rifles  to  embrace  each  other  and  swing  their  hats  merrily, 
while  others  were  dancing  with  their  rifles  as  though  they 
were  their  sweethearts  ;  and  others  again  sang  and  warbled 
ringing  Tyrolese  Jodlers.  Finally,  some  of  them,  filled  with 
profound  emotion  and  fervent  gratitude,  sank  down  on  their 
knees  to  thank  God  for  this  wonderful  rescue  and  the  long- 
wished-for  sight  of  the  dear  Austrian  uniforms. 

The  French  and  Bavarians,  in  the  mean  time,  thunder- 
struck at  the  sudden  arrival  of  the  Austrians,  whose  numbers 
they  were  as  yet  unable  to  ascertain,  had  made  a  retrograde 
movement  in  their  first  terror.  But  this  did  not  last  long. 
"  If  we  do  not  want  to  perish  here  to  the  last  man,  we  must  try 
to  force  a  passage,"  said  General  Bisson.  "  Forward,  there- 
fore, forward  !" 

The  troops  moved,  and  began  to  march  across  the  bridge. 

But  now  the  Austrians  had  come  close  up  to  them.  The 
Tyrolese  received  them  with  deafening  shouts  of  "  Long  live 
the  Emperor  Francis  !  Long  live  Austria  ! " 

Then  they  turned  once  more  with  fervent  enthusiasm  to- 
ward the  enemy.  "Down  with  the  base  Bavarians  !  For- 
ward !  forward  !  Down  with  them  ! "  they  shouted  on  all 
sides  ;  and  the  Tyrolese  rushed  with  furious  impetuosity  upon 
the  enemy.  Their  scythes  and  flails  mowed  down  whole 
ranks,  and  many  soldiers  were  soon  laid  prostrate  by  the  un- 
erring aim  of  the  mountain  sharpshooters.  Mountains  of 
corpses  were  piled  up,  rivers  of  blood  flowed  down  into  the 
waters  of  the  Eisach,  and  the  crimson-colored  waves  carried 


THE   BRIDGE   OF  LADITCH.  165 

down  through  the  Tyrol  the  intelligence  that  the  struggle  for 
the  fatherland  had  commenced. 

Nevertheless,  the  forces  of  the  enemy  were  too  numerous 
for  the  Tyrolese  and  the  small  advanced  guard  of  the  Austrians 
to  annihilate  them  entirely.  The  Bavarians  and  French 
forced  a  passage  through  the  ranks  of  their  enthusiastic  ene- 
mies with  the  courage  and  wrath  of  despair  ;  hundreds  of  them 
remained  dead  on  the  bloody  field,  but  nearly  two  thousand 
ascended  the  Eisach  toward  Sterzing. 

Anthony  Wallner  beckoned  to  his  daughter,  and  stepped 
with  her  behind  a  jutting  rock.  "  First,  Lizzie,  my  heroic  girl, 
give  me  a  kiss,"  he  said,  encircling  her  with  one  of  his  arms, 
and  pressing  her  fondly  to  his  broad  breast.  "  You  have  been 
your  father's  joy  and  pride  to-day,  and  I  saw  that  the  dear 
little  angels  were  protecting  you,  and  that  the  bullets  for  this 
reason  whistled  harmlessly  around  you.  Hence,  you  are  now 
to  render  an  important  service  to  the  fatherland.  I  must 
send  a  messenger  to  Andreas  Hofer,  but  I  need  the  men  for 
fighting  here  ;  and,  moreover,  the  enemy  might  easily  catch 
my  messenger.  But  he  will  allow  a  Tyrolese  girl  like  you 
to  pass  through  his  lines,  and  will  not  suspect  any  thing 
wrong  about  her.  Now  will  you  take  my  message  to  Andreas 
Hofer?" 

•'I  will,  father." 

"  Run,  then,  my  daughter,  run  along  the  mountain-paths  ; 
you  can  climb  and  leap  like  a  chamois,  and  will  easily  get 
the  start  of  the  enemy,  who  is  marching  on  the  long  roads  in 
the  valley.  Hasten  toward  Sterzing.  If  all  has  passed  off  as 
agreed  upon,  you  will  find  Andreas  Hofer  there.  Tell  him 
now  in  my  name  that  the  Austrians  are  coming  up  from  Salz- 
burg and  that  I  have  done  my  duty  and  redeemed  my  pledge. 
Tell  him  further  that  the  whole  Puster  valley  is  in  insurrec- 
tion, and  that  we  are  bravely  at  work,  and  driving  the  Bava- 
rians and  French  from  the  country.  But  tell  him  also  to  be 
on  his  guard,  for  we  have  not  been  able  to  annihilate  the  ene- 
my entirely,  and  they  will  soon  make  their  appearance  at 
Sterzing.  Let  him  be  ready  to  receive  the  enemy  there  as 
they  deserve  it." 

"  Is  that  all,  dearest  father  ? " 


166  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"Yes,  Lizzie,  it  is.  Tell  Andy  what  has  happened  here, 
and  do  not  forget  to  tell  him  how  you  brought  down  the  keg 
of  wine  that  the  boys  might  drink  courage  from  it." 

"  No,  father,  I  shall  not  tell  him  that.  It  would  look  as 
though  I  thought  I  had  done  something  great,  and  wished  to 
be  praised  for  it.  But  now,  farewell,  dearest  father.  I  will 
hasten  to  Andreas  Hofer." 

"'  Farewell,  dearest  Lizzie.  The  angels  and  the  Holy  Vir- 
gin will  protect  you.  I  have  no  fears  for  your  safety." 

"Nor  I  either,  dearest  father.  The  good  spirits  of  the 
mountain  will  accompany  me.  Farewell  ! " 

She  kissed  her  hands  to  him,  and  bounded  up  the  moun- 
tain-path with  the  speed  and  gracefulness  of  a  gazelle. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ON  THE  STERZINGER  MOOS. 

WHILE  these  events  were  going  on  below  Brixen,  Andreas 
Hofer  had  marched  with  the  men  of  the  Passeyr  valley  across 
the  Janfen.  The  inhabitants  everywhere  had  received  him 
with  loud  exultation  :  they  had  risen  everywhere,  ready  to 
follow  him,  to  fight  under  him  for  the  deliverance  of  the 
fatherland,  and  to  stake  their  fortunes  and  their  lives  for  the 
emperor  and  the  beloved  Tyrol.  Hofer's  column  accordingly 
gained  strength  at  every  step  as  it  advanced.  He  had  set  out 
with  a  few  hundred  men  on  the  9th  of  April  ;  and  now,  on 
the  morning  of  the  llth  of  April,  already  several  thousand 
men  had  rallied  around  him,  and  with  them  he  had  reached 
the  heights  of  Sterzing.  Andreas  Hofer  halted  his  men  here, 
where  he  had  a  splendid  view  of  the  whole  plain,  and  ordered 
his  Tyrolese  to  encamp  and  repose  after  their  long  and  ex- 
hausting march.  He  himself  did  not  care  for  repose,  for  his 
heart  was  heavy  and  full  of  anxiety  ;  and  his  glance,  usually 
so  serene,  was  clouded  and  sombre. 

While  the  others  were  resting  and  partaking  gayly  of  the 
wine  and  food  which  the  women  and  girls  of  the  neighboring 


ON  THE  STERZIXGER   MOOS.  167 

villages  had  brought  to  them  with  joyous  readiness,  Andreas 
Hofer  ascended  a  peak  from  which  he  had  a  full  view  of  the 
mountain-chains  all  around  and  the  extensive  plain  at  his 
feet.  His  friend  and  adjutant,  Anthony  Sieberer,  had  fol- 
lowed him  noiselessly  ;  and  on  perceiving  him,  Andreas  Ho- 
fer smiled  and  nodded  pleasantly  to  him. 

"  See,  brother,"  he  said,  pointing  with  a  sigh  down  to  the 
valley,  "  how  calm  and  peaceful  every  thing  looks  !  There 
lies  Sterzing,  so  cozy  and  sweet,  in  the  sunshine  ;  the  fruit- 
trees  are  blossoming  in  its  gardens  ;  the  daisies,  primroses,  and 
hawthorns  have  opened  their  little  eyes,  and  are  looking  up  to 
heaven  in  silent  joy.  And  now  I  am  to  disturb  this  glorious 
peace  and  tranquillity,  tear  it  like  a  worthless  piece  of  paper, 
and  hurl  it  like  Uriah's  letter,  into  the  faces  of  the  people. 
Ah,  Sieberer,  war  is  a  cruel  thing  ;  and  when  I  take  every 
thing  into  consideration,  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  men 
commit  a  heavy  sin  by  taking  the  field  in  order  to  slay,  shoot, 
and  stab,  as  though  they  were  wild  beasts  bent  on  devouring 
one  another,  and  not  men  whom  God  created  after  His  own 
likeness  ;  and  I  ask  myself,  in  the  humility  of  my  heart, 
whether  or  not  I  have  a  right  to  instigate  my  dear  friends  and 
countrymen  to  follow  me  and  attack  men  who  are  our  brethren 
after  all." 

"If  you  really  ask  yourself  such  questions,  and  have  lost 
your  courage,  then  we  are  all  lost,"  said  Sieberer,  gloomily. 
"  It  is  Andreas  Hofer  in  whom  the  men  of  the  Passeyr  valley 
believe,  and  whom  they  are  following  into  the  bloody  strug- 
gle. If  Hofer  hesitates,  all  will  soon  despond  ;  and  it  would 
be  better  for  us  to  retrace  our  steps  at  once,  and  allow  Bona- 
parte and  the  French  to  trample  us  again  in  the  dust,  in- 
stead of  lifting  our  heads  like  freemen,  and  fighting  for  our 
rights." 

"We  have  gone  too  far,  we  can  no  longer  retrace  our 
steps,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  shaking  his  head  gently,  and 
lifting  his  eyes  to  heaven.  After  a  pause  he  added  in  a  loud, 
strong  voice  :  "  And  even  though  it  were  otherwise,  even 
though  we  could  still  retrace  our  steps,  I  should  not  consent 
to  it.  I  shall  never  repent  of  having  raised  my  voice  in  be- 
half of  the  Tyrol  and  the  emperor  ;  nor  have  I  lost  my  cour- 


168  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

age,  as  you  seem  to  think,  brother  Sieberer.  I  know  full  well 
that  we  owe  it  to  our  good  emperor  and  the  fatherland  to  de- 
fend it  to  the  last  breath,  and  I  do  not  tremble  for  myself.  I 
have  dedicated  my  life  to  the  dear  fatherland  ;  I  have  taken 
leave  of  my  wife  and  my  children,  and  belong  now  only  to 
the  Tyrol  and  the  emperor.  If  my  blood  were  sufficient  to 
deliver  our  country,  I  should  joyously  and  with  a  grateful 
prayer  throw  myself  down  from  this  peak  and  shatter  my 
bones  ;  and  dying,  I  should  thank  God  for  vouchsafing  such 
an  honor  to  me,  and  allowing  me  to  purchase  the  liberty  of 
the  country  with  my  blood.  But  I  am  but  a  poor  and  humble 
servant  and  soldier  of  the  Lord,  and  my  blood  will  not  be  suffi- 
cient ;  but  many  will  have  to  spill  theirs  and  die,  that  the  rest 
may  be  free  and  belong  again  to  our  dear  emperor.  And  this  is 
the  reason  why,  on  contemplating  the  brave  men  and  coura- 
geous lads  who  have  followed  my  call,  I  feel  pity,  and  ask  myself 
again  and  again.  Had  I  a  right  to  call  them  away  from  their 
homes,  their  wives  and  children,  and  lead  them,  perhaps,  into 
the  jaws  of  death  ?  Will  not  the  Lord  curse  me  for  preach- 
ing insurrection  and  war  instead  of  submissiveness  and  hu- 
mility ? " 

"  Well,  you  are  a  pious  man,  Andy/'  said  Sieberer,  with  a 
reproachful  glance,  "  and  yet  you  have  forgotten  what  our  Re- 
deemer said  to  the  Pharisees." 

'*  What  do  you  mean,  Anthony  ?  Tell  me,  if  it  will  com- 
fort me." 

"  He  said, '  Render  unto  Caesar  the  things  which  are  Caesar's, 
and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's.'  Now,  I  think  that 
our  Tyrol  is  the  emperor's,  and  that  the  Bavarians  and  French 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it,  but  have  merely  stolen  it  from  the 
emperor.  Therefore,  we  act  only  in  accordance  with  the  pre- 
cepts of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  if  we  stake  our  lives  and  for- 
tunes to  restore  to  .the.emperor  that  which  is  the  emperor's. 
And  I  think,  too,  that  the  churches  and  convents  are  the 
houses  of  the  Lord  and  belong  to  Him  alone.  Now,  the  Bava- 
rians have  stolen  the  houses  of  the  Lord  in  the  Tyrol,  and 
have  ignominiously  driven  out  His  servants.  Hence  we  act 
again  in  accordance  with  the  precepts  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
if  we  stake  our  lives  and  fortunes  to  restore  to  God  that  which 


ON   THE   STEKZIXGER   MOOS.  169 

is  God's  ;  and  if,  in  doing  so,  we  should  all  lose  our  lives,  we 
should  die  in  the  holy  service  of  God  and  the  emperor  ! " 

"  You  are  right,  brother  Sieberer,"  exclaimed  Hofer,  joy- 
fully, "and  I  thank  you  for  comforting  and  strengthening 
my  heart.  Yes,  we  are  in  the  service  of  God,  our  emperor, 
and  the  beloved  Tyrol." 

"And  God  and  the  emperor  have  imposed  on  Andreas 
Hofer  the  duty  of  acting  at  the  same  time  as  prophet  of  the 
Lord  and  as  captain  of  the  emperor.  Go,  then,  Andreas,  and 
do  your  duty ! "  said  Sieberer,  solemnly. 

"  I  shall  do  my  duty  bravely  and  faithfully  to  the  last !  " 
exclaimed  Hofer,  enthusiastically.  Then  he  raised  the  small 
crucifix  from  his  breast,  kissed  it  devoutly,  and  prayed  in  a 
low  voice. 

A  sarcastic  smile  overspread  Anthony  Sieberer's  face,  but 
it  disappeared  quickly  when  he  happened  to  turn  his  eyes  to 
the  neighboring  mountains.  He  looked  keenly  and  search- 
ingly  toward  the  mountain-path  leading  to  Mittewald.  He 
saw  there  a  small  black  speck  which  was  advancing  with  great 
rapidity.  Was  it  a  bird  ?  No,  the  speck  had  already  become 
larger ;  he  saw  it  was  a  human  being — a  woman  speeding 
along  the  mountain-path.  Now  she  was  so  close  to  them  that 
he  could  distinguish  her  face  ;  it  was  that  of  a  young  girl ; 
her  cheeks  flushed,  her  eyes  radiant ;  bold  and  intrepid  as  a 
chamois,  she  hastened  forward  ;  her  long,  black  tresses  were 
waving  round  her  head,  and  her  bosom  heaved  violently  un- 
der the  folds  of  her  white  corset. 

Now,  she  stood  still  for  a  moment,  and  seemed  to  listen  ; 
then  she  bent  far  over  the  precipice,  on  the  brink  of  which 
she  was  standing,  and  below  which  the  Tyrolese  were  en- 
camped. No  sooner  had  she  perceived  them  than  she  uttered 
a  loud  cry  of  exultation,  and  bounding  forward,  she,  exclaimed 
joyously  :  "  There  are  the  men  of  the  Passeyr  valley  !  Now  I 
shall  find  their  leader,  Andreas  Hofer,  too  ! — Andreas  Hofer  ! 
where  are  you,  Andreas  Hofer  ? " 

"  Here  I  am  ! "  shouted  Andreas  Hofer,  starting  up  from 
his  fervent  prayer,  and  advancing  a  few  steps. 

The  young  girl  gave  a  start  on  discovering  the  two  men, 
who  had  hitherto  been  concealed  from  her  by  a  large  rock  ; 


170  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

but  she  looked  at  them  searchingly,  and  did  not  seem  to  be 
frightened  or  anxious. 

"  Are  you  really  Andreas  Hofer  ? "  she  asked,  breathlessly. 

"Ask  him  if  I  am,"  said  Hofer,  smiling  and  pointing  to 
Sieberer. 

"  That  is  unnecessary,"  she  replied  calmly  ;  "  I  see  that  you 
are  Andreas  Hofer.  You  look  precisely  as  my  father  described 
you  to  me.  There  is  the  long  beard,  the  crucifix,  the  saint's 
image  on  your  breast ;  and  there  are  the  kind  eyes,  and  the 
whole  dear  face.  God  bless  you,  Andreas  Hofer  !  I  bring 
you  many  cordial  greetings  from  my  father,  Anthony  Wall- 
ner- Aichberger. " 

*'  God  bless  you,  maiden,"  exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer,  hold- 
ing out  both  his  hands  to  her.  Eliza  took  them,  bent  over 
Hofer's  right  hand,  and  imprinted  a  glowing  kiss  on  it. 

"Girl,  what  are  you  doing  ?"  asked  Hofer,  blushing  with 
confusion. 

"  I  kiss  the  dear  hand  which  the  Lord  has  chosen  to  de- 
liver the  Tyrol,"  she  said  ;  "  the  dear  hand  which  holds  the 
rosary  so  piously  and  the  sword  so  bravely  ;  the  hand  intc 
which  my  father  laid  his  hand,  as  if  on  an  altar,  when  he 
swore  to  God  that  he  would  assist  in  delivering  the  Tyrol  from 
the  enemy  and  restoring  it  to  the  emperor. " 

"  Look  at  this  girl,  Sieberer  ;  how  well  she  knows  how  to 
flatter  me,"  exclaimed  Andreas,  smilingly  patting  her  flushed 
cheek.  "  And  you  say  your  father  sent  you  to  me  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  did,  Andreas  Hofer.  I  ran  all  day  yesterday  ; 
and  this  morning  I  rose  with  the  sun  and  continued  my  trip 
in  order  fo  reach  you  as  soon  as  possible,  and  deliver  my 
father's  message  to  you." 

"  You  must  be  tired,  poor  little  girl  ! "  said  Hofer,  com- 
passionately. "  Sit  down  on  the  rock  yonder.  There  !  And 
now  speak  ! " 

'*  In  the  first  place,  Anthony  Wallner  sends  greeting,  and 
informs  you  that  he  has  kept  his  word  faithfully.  The  whole 
Puster  valley  has  already  risen  in  insurrection  ;  all  the  men 
followed  him,  and  were  ready  and  eager  to  fight  for  the  Tyrol 
and  the  dear  Emperor  Francis.  We  have  fought  already  a 
bloody  battle  at  the  bridge  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  another  at 


ON  THE  STERZINGER   MOOS.  171 

the  bridge  of  Laditch.  Many  soldiers  of  the  enemy  were 
killed  in  the  gap  of  Brixen,  and  many  French  and  Bavarians 
fell  at  the  bridge  of  Laditch  ;  but  we  also  lost  a  great  many 
men  there.  Our  men  fought  bravely,  but  there  were  too  many 
of  the  Bavarians  and  French,  and  so  they  finally  succeeded  in 
breaking  through  our  ranks  and  continued  their  march  to- 
ward Stei'zing.  Hence,  my  father  sent  me  to  you  in  the  great- 
est haste  to  inform  you  of  what  has  occurred,  and  tell  you 
to  be  on  your  guard.  There  are  several  thousand  Bavarians 
and  French  on  the  march  to  Sterzing.  It  is  true,  our  men 
have  occupied  the  Miihlbach  pass;  but  the  enemy  is  too  strong, 
our  men  will  not  be  able  to  annihilate  him  entirely." 

"Then  he  will  come  hither,"  exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer. 

"  Yes,  and  we  shall  have  a  fight  at  length,"  said  Anthony 
Sieberer,  joyously.  "  I  am  glad  that  our  men  will  at  length 
be  face  to  face  with  the  enemy  and  see  bloodshed." 

•l  And  the  Austrians  are  not  coming  yet,'1  sighed  Andreas 
Hofer. 

il  Yes  !  they  are  !  "  exclaimed  Eliza.  "  Anthony  Wallner 
instructed  me  to  tell  you  that  too.  Several  hundred  Austrians 
joined  us  already  at  the  bridge  of  Laditch.  It  was  their  ad- 
vanced guard,  and  they  said  that  all  the  others  would  follow 
them  soon." 

"  It  is  General  Hiller  with  the  troops  moving  up  from  Salz- 
burg," said  Hofer.  "  But  where  are  Chasteler  and  Hormayr, 
who  were  to  join  us  from  Carintliia  ?  I  think  they  are  tarry- 
ing too  long." 

"  But  the  Bavarians  do  not  tarry,"  said  Eliza,  "  and  they 
are  savage  and  cruel  men.  I  did  not  enter  the  town  of 
Sterzing,  but  the  people  on  the  road  told  me  how  the  Bava- 
rians killed,  burned,  and  plundered  there  yesterday  ;  and 
those  who  told  me  cried  with  rage  and  grief.  The  whole 
town  is  in  insurrection  ;  all  have  armed  for  the  Emperor 
Francis,  and  will  die  rather  than  longer  obey  the  Bavarians 
and  French.  Major  von  Barenklau,  the  commander  of  the 
Bavarians  in  Sterzing,  finally  got  frightened  ;  and  on  being 
informed  that  Andreas  Hofer  was  moving  against  him  on  one 
side  with  the  men  of  the  Passeyr  valley,  and  that  Anthony 
Wallner  with  the  men  of  the  Puster  valley,  on  the  other  side, 


172  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

had  occupied  the  bridge  of  Laditch,  he  deemed  it  prudent  to 
evacuate  Sterzing  and  await  our  men  in  the  open  plain.  I 
saw  his  troops  marching  through  the  valley  while  I  was 
walking  on  the  heights  ;  and  I  think  it  will  not  be  long  until 
we  can  see  them  below  in  the  plain.1' 

"  See,  there  they  are  already  1 "  exclaimed  Anthony  Sie- 
berer,  who,  while  Eliza  was  speaking,  had  spied  with  his  keen 
eyes  far  into  the  plain  called  the  Sterzinger  Moos. 

In  fact,  a  large,  motley  mass  was  to  be  seen  moving  up  in 
the  distance  yonder  ;  yes,  they  were  Bavarian  soldiers,  and 
they  were  drawing  nearer  and  nearer. 

"  Hurrah  !  the  Bavarians  are  coming,  the  struggle  begins," 
exclaimed  Anthony  Sieberer,  joyously  ;  and  the  Tyrolese  en- 
camped below  echoed  his  shout  with  loud  exultation  :  kl  The 
Bavarians  are  coming  !  The  struggle  begins  !  " 

"The  struggle  begins,"  said  Hofer,  "and  God  grant,  in  His 
mercy,  that  not  too  much  blood  may  be  shed,  and  that  we 
may  be  victorious  !  Come,  dear  girl,  I  will  take  you  under 
my  protection,  for  you  cannot  immediately  set  out  for  home, 
but  must  stay  here  with  me.  I  shall  see  to  it  that  no  harm 
befalls  you,  and,  while  we  are  fighting,  we  will  try  to  find  a 
cave  or  nook  in  the  rocks  where  we  may  conceal  you." 

"  I  do  not  want  to  conceal  myself,  Andreas  Hofer,"  said 
Eliza,  proudly.  "  The  priests  and  women  have  likewise  to  per- 
form their  parts  in  war-times  :  they  must  carry  the  wounded 
out  of  the  range  of  the  enemy's  bullets  and  dress  their 
wounds  ;  they  must  pray  with  the  dying,  and  nurse  those 
whose  lives  are  spared." 

"You  are  a  brave  daughter  of  the  Tyrol  ;  I  like  to  listen 
to  your  soul-stirring  words,"  exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer.  "  Now 
come,  we  will  speak  with  our  men." 

He  grasped  Eliza's  hand,  beckoned  to  his  adjutant  Sieberer, 
and  descended  with  them  the  path  toward  the  Tyrolese. 

They  were  no  longer  reposing,  but  all  had  risen  and  were 
looking  with  rapt  attention  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy.  On 
beholding  Hofer,  they  burst  into  loud  cheers,  and  asked  him 
enthusiastically  to  lead  them  against  the  enemy. 

"  Let  us  ascertain  first  where  he  is  going,  and  what  his  in- 
tentions are,"  said  Hofer,  thoughtfully.  "Perhaps  he  does 


ON   THE   STEKZINGEK   MOOS.  173 

not  know  that  we  are  here,  and  intends  to  continue  his  march. 
In  that  case  we  will  let  him  pass  us,  follow  him,  and  attack 
him  only  after  he  has  entered  the  Miihlbach  pass." 

"  No,  he  does  not  intend  to  continue  his  march,"  exclaimed 
Sieberer.  "  Look,  he  takes  position  in  the  plain  and  forms  in 
squares  as  he  has  learned  to  do  from  Bonaparte.  Oh,  breth- 
ren, let  us  attack  him  now.  Never  fear.  I  know  such 
squares,  for,  in  1805, 1  often  attacked  them  with  our  men,  and 
we  broke  them.  Forward,  then,  my  friends,  forward  !  Now 
let  us  fight  for  God  and  our  emperor  ! " 

"  For  God  and  our  emperor  ! "  shouted  the  Tyrolese  ;  and 
all  seized  their  arms  and  prepared  for  the  struggle. 

"  Hold  on  ! "  cried  Hofer,  in  a  powerful  voice.  "  As  you 
have  elected  me  commander,  you  must  be  obedient  to  me  and 
comply  with  my  orders." 

"  We  will,  we  will  ! "  shouted  the  Tyrolese.  "  Just  tell  us, 
commander,  what  we  are  to  do,  and  we  shall  obey." 

"You  shall  not  descend  into  the  plain,  nor  attack  the  enemy 
on  all  sides.  For  you  see,  the  squares  are  ready  to  shoot  in  all 
directions,  and  if  you  attack  them  on  all  sides  in  the  open 
plain,  you  will  be  exposed  to  their  most  destructive  fire  ;  more- 
over, as  they  are  by  far  better  armed  than  we,  and  have  can- 
non, many  of  our  men  would  be  uselessly  sacrificed  in  such  an 
attack." 

4i  What  the  commander  says  is  true,"  growled  the  Tyrolese. 
"  It  is  by  far  better  for  us  to  attack  the  enemy  from  a  covered 
position,  and  have  our  rear  protected  by  the  mountains." 

"  And  I  will  show  you  now  such  a  covered  position  from 
which  you  are  to  attack  the  enemy,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  with 
impressive  calmness.  "  Look  there,  to  the  left.  Do  you  see 
the  ravine  leading  into  the  mountains  yonder  ?  Well,  we  will 
now  ascend  the  mountain-path  rapidly,descend  into  the  ravine, 
and  thence  rush  upon  the  enemy." 

"  Yes,  yes,  that  is  right  !  We  will  do  so.  Andreas  Hofer 
is  a  good  captain  ! "  said  the  Tyrolese  to  each  other. 

Hofer  waved  his  hand  imperatively  toward  them.  "Now 
keep  very  quiet,"  he  said,  "  that  we  may  not  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  enemy  prematurely,  and  thereby  cause  him  to  oc- 
cupy the  ravine  before  we  have  reached  it.  Forward,  then, 


174  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

quickly  through  the  forest,  and  then  descend  noiselessly  ink 
the  valley.  But  before  setting  out,  we  will  pray  two  rosaries. 
If  we  long  for  success  in  battle,  we  must  invoke  God's  assist 
ance." 

He  took  his  rosary  and  prayed  ;  and  the  Tyrolese  bent  their 
heads  devoutly,  and  prayed  like  their  commander.  Then  they 
glided  quickly  and  noiselessly  through  the  thick  forest,  headed 
by  Andreas  Hofer,  who  led  Eliza  Wallner  with  tender  solici- 
tude by  the  hand.  At  length  they  reached  the  gorge,  and 
Andreas  Hofer  was  just  about  entering  it  with  the  others, 
when  Anthony  Sieberer.  Jacob  Eisenstocken,  and  a  few  other 
prominent  Tyrolese,  stepped  to  him  and  kept  him  back  with 
tender  violence. 

"  A  general  does  not  accompany  his  soldiers  into  the  thick- 
est of  the  tight,''  said  Eisenstocken.  "  That  is  not  his  province. 
He  has  to  direct  the  battle  with  his  head,  but  not  to  fight  it 
out  with  his  arm." 

"  But  bear  in  mind  that  Bonaparte  does  not  leave  his  sol- 
diers even  in  battle,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  trying  to  push  them 
aside  and  advance. 

"No,  dearest  commander,"  exclaimed  Anthony  Sieberer, 
"  you  must  not  go  down  with  the  men.  Think  of  it,  what 
would  become  of  us  and  our  cause  if  an  accident  befell  our 
commander  and  a  bullet  shattered  his  beloved  head  !  Our 
friends  and  sharpshooters  would  feel  as  though  that  bullet 
had  shattered  all  their  heads  :  they  would  be  discouraged  and 
give  up  our  cause  as  lost.  No,  no,  Andreas  Hofer,  you  owe  it 
to  your  fatherland,  your  emperor,  and  your  Tyrolese,  not  to 
expose  yourself  to  too  great  dangers  ;  for  your  life  is  necessary 
to  us,  and  you  are  the  standard  which  the  Tyrolese  are  follow- 
ing. If  our  standard  sinks  to  the  ground,  our  Tyrolese  will  be 
panic-stricken  and  run  away.  Consequently  you  must  not  go 
into  battle,  either  to-day  or  at  any  time  hereafter." 

"  You  are  right,  I  see  it,"  said  Hofer,  mournfully.  "They 
would  be  thunderstruck  if  a  bullet  should  hit  their  com- 
mander ;  hence  I  submit,  and  shall  stay  here.  You  will  stay 
with  me,  Lizzie  Wallner,  and  Ennemoser,  my  secretary,  shall 
do  so  too.  Now  go,  all  of  you.  and  God  grant  that  we  may 
all  meet  again.  I  shall  stay  at  this  very  spot,  and  he  who 


ON  THE  STERZINGER   MOOS.  175 

wants  to  see  me  must  come  hither.  I  can  survey  from  here 
the  whole  plain  of  the  Sterzinger  Moos.  Now,  my  dear 
friends  and  brethren,''  he  shouted  in  a  loud,  i-inging  voice, 
'•  for  God,  the  fatherland,  and  your  emperor  !" 

"  For  God.  the  fatherland,  and  our  emperor  !  "  shouted  the 
Tyrolese,  rushing  down  the  mountain-path  into  the  ravine 
whence  they  were  to  attack  the  enemy. 

But  the  Bavarians  had  been  on  their  guard,  and  their  com- 
mander, Colonel  Barenklau,  divining  the  tactics  of  the  Tyr- 
olese, had  ordered  his  two  guns  to  be  pointed  against  the 
ravine. 

Now  the  first  shots  thundered  from  their  mouths,  and  vol- 
leys of  musketry  were  discharged  from  all  the  squares  at  the 
same  time,  at  the  advancing  column  of  the  Tyrolese.  The 
Tyrolese,  not  prepared  for  so  sudden  and  violent  an  attack, 
dismayed  at  the  havoc  produced  in  their  ranks  by  the  balls 
and  bullets  of  the  Bavarians,  gave  way  and  ran  over  the 
corpses  of  their  brethren  back  to  the  ravine.  But  there  stood 
the  crowd  of  women  who  had  accompanied  the  column,  who 
had  hastened  up  from  Sterzing,  and  the  whole  neighborhood, 
and  had  advanced  with  the  Tyrolese  out  of  the  ravine  almost 
close  to  the  squares  of  the  enemy.  They  received  the  fugi- 
tives with  invectives  and  angry  glances  ;  they  strove  to  kindle 
their  courage  ;  they  went  and  begged  them  with  clasped  hands 
and  tearful  eyes  not  to  desert  the  cause  of  the  fatherland,  be- 
come discouraged  in  so  disgraceful  a  manner  in  the  very  first 
battle,  and  thereby  make  themselves  the  laughing-stock  of  the 
hateful  Bavarians  and  French. 

And  the  men  listened  to  these  voices  ;  they  drank  courage 
from  the  wine  which  the  women  handed  to  them,  and  rushed 
forward  a  second  time.  Their  rifles  crashed  and  mowed  down 
the  front  ranks  of  the  Bavarians,  but  behind  the  corpses  stood 
the  rear  ranks,  and  their  volleys  responded  to  the  Tyrolese, 
and  the  cannon  thundered  across  the  plain  reeking  with  gore 
and  powder. 

The  Tyrolese  gave  way  a  second  time,  for  the  murderous 
lire  of  the  Bavarians  filled  them  with  stupor  and  dismay 

"  In  this  manner  we  shall  never  gain  a  victory,  and  our 
men  will  be  uselessly  slaughtered,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  who 


176  ANDREAS  HOPER. 

was  watching  the  struggle  with  breathless  suspense.  "  But  we 
must  not  incur  the  disgrace  of  losing  the  first  battle,  for  that 
would  discourage  our  men  for  all  time  to  come.  Come,  Enne- 
moser,  run  down  to  them  and  tell  them  to  try  a  third  time. 
If  they  do  -not,  Andreas  Hofer  will  rush  all  alone  upon  the 
enemy  and  wait  for  a  bullet  to  shatter  his  head." 

Young  Ennemoser,  the  secretary,  sped  down  the  ravine  ; 
Hofer  pressed  his  crucifix  to  his  lips  and  prayed  ;  Eliza  Wall- 
ner  advanced  close  to  the  edge  of  the  precipice,  and  peered 
down  into  the  plain.  Her  eyes  filled  with  tears  when  she  per- 
ceived the  many  corpses  piled  up  on  both  sides  of  the  ravine, 
but  the  squares  of  the  enemy  likewise  had  been  considerably 
thinned,  and  death  had  made  fearful  havoc  in  their  ranks. 

"Andreas  Hofer,"  she  cried,  exultingly,  "your  message 
was  successful.  Our  men  are  rushing  forward.  Do  you  not 
hear  their  cheers  ? " 

"  I  do,  and  may  the  good  God  grant  them  success  ! "  sighed 
Andreas  Hofer,  stepping  close  up  to  Eliza. 

They  saw  the  Tyrolese  emerging  again  at  the  double-quick 
from  the  ravine,  and  rushing  upon  the  enemy,  who  received 
them  with  volleys  of  musketry  and  artillery-fire.  But,  alas  ! 
they  saw  the  Tyrolese  give  way  again  and  retreat,  though 
more  slowly  than  before,  to  the  ravine. 

"  This  will  never  do,"  cried  Hofer,  despairingly.  "  Our  men 
are  slaughtered  in  this  way,  and  cannot  reach  the  enemy, 
whose  cannon  are  mowing  them  down  like  scythes.  O  God, 
show  me  a  way  to  help  our  men  !  " 

His  eyes  glanced  despairingly  over  the  plain,  as  if  search- 
ing for  relief.  All  at  once  a  bright  flash  of  joy  lit  up  his 
features. 

"  I  have  found  a  way  !  I  thank  Thee,  my  God  ! "  he  ex- 
claimed, aloud.  "  See,  Lizzie,  look  there  !  What  do  you  see 
in  the  plain  yonder  behind  the  ravine  ? " 

"  I  see  there  four  large  wagons  filled  with  hay,"  said  Lizzie  ; 
"  yes,  four  wagons  filled  with  hay,  nothing  else." 

"  And  these  wagons  filled  with  hay  will  save  us.  They 
must  be  driven  toward  the  ravine  directly  toward  the  enemy  ; 
our  sharpshooters  will  conceal  themselves  behind  them,  and 
will  safely  advance  ;  and  when  close  enough  to  the  enemy, 


THE   IIAY- WAGONS.  177 

they  will  discharge  their  rifles,  and  first  pick  off  the  gunners, 
in  order  to  silence  the  guns  which  have  made  such  havoc 
among  our  men.  Come,  Lizzie,  we  will  go  down  to  Sieberer 
and  the  other  captains,  and  give  them  my  orders.  I  hope 
there  will  be  four  lads  intrepid  enough  to  drive  the  hay- 
wagons  toward  the  enemy." 

"  There  will  be  ! "  exclaimed  Eliza,  enthusiastically. 

"  It  is  only  necessary  for  one  to  risk  his  life,  and  drive  the 
first  wagon.  The  other  wagons  will  be  covered  by  the  first. 
But  the  driver  of  the  first  wagon  will  doubtless  be  killed, 
and  I  shall  be  responsible  for  his  death." 

"  He  will  die  for  the  fatherland,"  exclaimed  Eliza.  "  Go, 
Andreas  Hofer,  descend  and  tell  our  men  what  is  to  be  done, 
for  it  is  high  time  for  the  hay-wagons  to  come  up  and  cover 
our  men." 

"  Come,  let  us  go,  Lizzie  ;  give  me  your  hand." 

"  No,  lead  the  way  ;  I  will  follow  you  immediately." 


CHAPTER 

THE  HAY-WAGONS. 

ANDREAS  HOFER  had  already  descended  half  the  mountain- 
path  with  a  rapid  step,  and  he  did  not  once  look  behind  him, 
for  he  was  sure  that  Wallner's  daughter  was  following  him, 
and  he  kept  his  eyes  steadfastly  fixed  on  his  friends  and 
brethren. 

But  Eliza  did  not  follow  him.  She  looked  after  him  until 
the  dense  shrubbery  below  concealed  her  from  his  eyes  ;  then 
she  knelt  down,  and,  lifting  both  her  hands  to  heaven,  ex- 
claimed, in  a  loud,  beseeching  voice  :  "  Holy  Virgin,  protect 
me  !  Grant  success  to  my  enterprise  for  the  beloved  father- 
land !" 

She  then  jumped  up,  and,  quick  as  a  chamois,  scarcely 
touching  the  ground  with  her  feet,  she  hastened  toward  the 
point  where  the  hay-wagons  were  standing. 

Meanwhile,  Andreas  Hofer  had  descended  into  the  ravine 


178  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

whence  constantly  new  crowds  of  Tyrolese  were  rushing  for- 
ward, although  they  were  driven  back  again  and  again  by  the 
murderous  fire  of  the  enemy.  On  beholding  Hofer's  erect  and 
imposing  form,  and  his  fine  head,  with  the  splendid  long 
beard,  the  Tyrolese  burst  into  loud  cheers,  and  his  presence 
seemed  to  inspire  them  with  fresh  courage.  They  advanced 
with  the  most  intrepid  impetuosity.  Andreas  Hofer  called  the 
brave  captains  of  his  sharpshooters  to  his  side,  and  communi- 
cated to  them  briefly  the  stratagem  he  had  devised. 

"  That  is  a  splendid  and  very  shrewd  idea,"  said  Anthony 
Sieberer. 

"  The  hay-wagon  is  your  Trojan  horse  with  which,  like 
Ulysses,  you  will  conquer  your  Troy,''  exclaimed  the  learned 
Ennemoser,  Hofer's  young  secretary. 

"  I  do  not  know  where  Troy  is  situated,"  said  Andreas 
Hofer,  quietly.  "  but  I  know  where  the  Sterzinger  Moos  lies, 
and  what  should  be  done  there.  For  the  rest,  there  are  no 
horses  before  the  hay- wagons,  but  oxen,  and  it  is  all- impor- 
tant that  the  gunners  should  not  immediately  hit  the  driver  of 
the  first  wagon." 

"  But  his  last  hour  has  surely  come,  and  he  may  rely  on 
going  to  paradise  to-day  ! "  exclaimed  Ennemoser.  "  But 
look,  what  throng  is  yonder  in  the  ravine,  and  what  causes 
the  women  to  shout  so  vociferously  ?  Their  shouts  sound  like 
triumphant  cheers.  And  the  lads  now  join  in  the  acclama- 
tions too,  and  all  are  rushing  forward  so  impetuously." 

Indeed,  the  whole  mass  of  men  and  women  assembled  in 
the  rear  of  the  ravine  rushed  forward  with  loud  shouts,  like  a 
single  immense  wave,  surging  with  extraordinary  impetuosity 
up  to  Andreas  Hofer  and  the  captains  standing  by  his  side. 

All  at  once  this  wave  parted,  and  in  the  midst  of  all  this 
eager,  shouting  throng,  which  took  position  on  both  sides  of 
the  ravine,  appeared  two  of  those  broad-horned,  brown  red 
oxen,  of  a  beauty,  majesty,  and  strength  such  as  can  be  found 
only  in  the  Tyrol  and  in  Switzerland.  Behind  these  two  oxen 
came  the  wagon  filled  up  with  bay. 

But  who  drove  the  hay-wagon  ?  "Was  it  really  the  lovely 
young  girl  hanging  on  the  back  of  the  ox — the  beautiful 
creature  whose  face  was  radiant  with  enthusiasm,  whose 


THE   HAY-WAGONS.  179 

cheeKS  were  glowing  like  the  morning  sun,  and  whose  eyes 
flashed  like  stars  ? 

Yes,  it  was  she — it  was  Eliza  Wallner,  who,  with  sublime 
courage,  had  mounted  the  back  of  the  ox,  and  who  now  was 
driving  forward  with  loud  shouts  and  lashes  of  the  whip  the 
two  animals,  frightened  by  the  crowd  and  the  shots  crashing 
incessantly. 

'*  Eliza  Wallner  ! "  cried  Andreas  Hofer,  with  an  air  of 
dismay,  as  the  heavily-laden  wagon  rolled  more  rapidly  for- 
ward. 

She  turned  her  head  toward  him,  and  a  wondrous  smile 
illuminated  her  face.  "  Send  greetings  to  my  dear  father  ! " 
she  exclaimed.  "  Send  greetings  to  him  in  my  name,  if  I 
should  die." 

"  I  cannot  allow  her  to  do  it— it  is  certain  death  !  "  cried 
Andreas  Hofer,  anxiously.  "  Let  me  go  and  lift  her  from  the 
ox." 

''  No,  no,  Andreas,"  said  Anthony  Sieberer.  "  Let  her  pro- 
ceed. The  intrepidity  of  this  young  girl  will  fire  the  courage 
of  the  lads ;  and,  for  the  rest,  if  lives  have  to  be  sacrificed,  the 
life  of  a  girl  is  not  worth  any  more  than  that  of  a  lad.  We 
are  all  in  God's  hand." 

"  May  God  and  His  heavenly  host  protect  her  ! "  said  An- 
dreas Hofer,  laying  his  hand  on  the  image  of  St.  George, 
which  adorned  his  breast. 

"  Now.  boys,"  shouted  Anthony  Sieberer,  "  do  not  allow  the 
girl  to  make  you  blush.  Quick,  march  behind  the  hay-wagon, 
and  when  you  are  close  enough  to  the  enemy,  step  forward 
and  shoot  down  the  gunners." 

Ten  young  lads  hastened  forward,  amid  loud  cheers,  and 
took  position  in  pairs  behind  the  wagon,  which  advanced 
heavily  and  slowly,  like  an  enormous  avalanche. 

There  was  a  breathless  silence.  All  eyes  followed  the 
wagon,  all  hearts  throbbed  and  addressed  to  heaven  prayers 
in  behalf  of  the  courageous  girl  who  was  driving  it. 

Suddenly  a  cry  of  horror  burst  from  all  lips.  A  cannon- 
ball  had  struck  the  hay-wagon,  which  was  shaking  violently 
from  the  tremendous  shock. 

But  now  a  ringing  cheer  was  heard  in  front  of  the  wagon. 


180  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

By  this  cheer  Eliza  "Wallner  announced  to  the  Tyrolese  that 
the  ball  had  not  hit  her,  and  that  she  was  uninjured. 

The  cannon  boomed  again,  and  Eliza's  ringing  voice  an- 
nounced once  more  that  the  balls  had  penetrated  harmlessly 
into  the  closely  compressed  hay. 

Meanwhile  the  wagon  rolled  out  farther  and  farther  into 
the  plain  of  the  Sterzinger  Moos.  Even  the  oxen  seemed  to 
be  infected  with  the  heroism  of  their  fair  driver,  and  trotted 
more  rapidly  toward  the  enemy,  whose  balls  whistled  round 
them  without  hitting  them. 

Suddenly  Eliza  stopped  their  courageous  trot,  and,  turning 
back  her  head,  she  shouted  :  "  Forward  now,  boys  !  Do  not 
be  afraid  of  the  Bavarian  dumplings.  They  do  not  hit  us, 
and  we  do  not  swallow  them  as  hot  as  the  Bavarians  send 
them  to  us  !  " 

The  young  sharpshooters  concealed  behind  the  wagon  re- 
plied to  Eliza,  amid  merry  laughter  :  "  No,  we  are  not  afraid 
of  the  Bavarian  dumplings,  but  we  are  going  to  pick  off  the 
cooks  that  send  them  to  us." 

And  with  their  rifles  lifted  to  their  cheeks,  five  sharp- 
shooters rushed  forward  on  either  side  of  their  green  bul- 
wark. Before  the  Bavarians  had  time  to  aim  at  the  ten  dar- 
ing sharpshooters,  the  latter  raised  their  rifles  and  fired,  and 
the  gunners  fell  dead  by  the  sides  of  their  guns. 

The  Bavarians  uttered  loud  shouts  of  fury,  and  aimed  at 
the  sharpshooters  ;  but  the  Tyrolese  had  already  disappeared 
again,  whistling  and  cheering,  behind  the  wagon,  which  was 
still  advancing  toward  the  enemy. 

The  other  hay-wagons  now  rolled  likewise  from  the  ra- 
vine. The  first  of  them  was  driven  by  another  young  girl. 
Imitating  the  heroic  example  set  by  Eliza  Wallner,  Anna  Gam- 
per,  daughter  of  a  tailor  of  Sterzing,  had  courageously  mounted 
the  back  of  an  ox,  and  drove  forward  the  wagon,  filled  with 
an  enormous  quantity  of  hay.  Twenty  young  sharpshooters, 
encouraged  by  the  success  of  their  comrades,  followed  this 
second  wagon.  Behind  them  came  the  third  and  fourth  wag- 
ons, followed  by  twenty  or  thirty  more  sharpshooters,  who 
were  well  protected  by  the  broad  bulwark  which  the  wagons 
formed  in  front  of  them. 


THE   HAY-WAGONS.  181 

The  gunners  had  fallen  ;  hence  the  cannon  no  longer 
thundered  or  carried  destruction  and  death  into  the  ranKs  of 
the  Tyrolese  ;  only  the  musketry  of  the  Bavarians  was  still 
rattling,  but  they  only  hit  the  hay,  and  not  the  brave  girls 
driving  the  oxen,  nor  the  sharpshooters,  who,  concealed  be- 
hind the  hay,  rushed  from  their  covert  whenever  the  enemy 
had  fired  a  volley,  raised  their  rifles  triumphantly,  and  struck 
down  a  Bavarian  at  every  shot. 

All  four  hay-wagons  had  now  driven  up  close  enough,  and 
the  Tyrolese,  who  were  nearly  one  hundred  strong,  burst  with 
cheers  from  behind  them,  and  rushing  forward  in  loose  array, 
but  with  desperate  resolution,  using  the  butt-ends  of  their 
rifles,  fell  with  savage  impetuosity  upon  the  Bavarians,  who 
were  thunderstruck  at  this  unexpected  and  sudden  attack. 

Loud  cheers  also  resounded  from  the  ravine.  The  whole 
force  of  the  Tyrolese  advanced  at  the  double-quick  to  assist 
their  brethren  in  annihilating  the  enemy. 

A  violent  struggle,  a  fierce  hand-to-hand  fight  now  ensued. 
The  Bavarians,  overwhelmed  by  the  terrible  onset  of  the  peas- 
ants, gave  way  ;  the  squares  dissolved  ;  and  the  soldiers,  as  if 
paralyzed  with  terror,  had  neither  courage  nor  strength  left 
to  avoid  the  furious  butt-end  blows  of  the  peasants. 

Vainly  did  Colonel  von  Barenklau  strive  to  reform  his 
lines  ;  vainly  did  those  who  had  rallied  round  him  at  his 
command,  make  a  desperate  effort  to  force  their  way  through 
the  ranks  of  the  infuriated  Tyrolese.  The  fierce  bravery  of 
the  latter  overcame  all  resistance,  and  rendered  their  escape 
impossible. 

"  Surrender  ! "  thundered  Andreas  Hofer  to  the  Bavarians. 
"  Lay  down  your  arms,  and  surrender  at  discretion  ! " 

A  cry  of  rage  burst  from  the  pale  lips  of  Colonel  von  Bar- 
enklau, and  he  would  have  rushed  upon  the  impudent  peas- 
ants who  dared  to  fasten  such  a  disgrace  upon  him.  But  his 
own  men  kept  him  back. 

"  We  do  not  want  to  be  slaughtered,"  they  cried,  perfectly 
beside  themselves  with  terror  ;  "  we  will  surrender,  we  will 
lay  down  our  arms  ! " 

A  deathly  pallor  overspread  the  cheeks  of  the  unfortunate 
officer. 


182  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Do  so,  then,"  he  cried.  "  Surrender  yourselves  and  me 
to  utter  dishonor  !  I  am  no  longer  able  to  restrain  you  from 
it." 

And  with  a  sigh  resembling  the  groan  of  a  dying  man, 
Colonel  von  Barenklau  fainted  away,  exhausted  by  the  ter- 
rible exertion  and  the  loss  of  blood  which  was  rushing  from 
a  gunshot  wound  on  his  neck. 

"  We  surrender  !  "  We  are  ready  to  lay  down  our  arms  !  " 
shouted  the  Bavarians  to  the  Tyrolese,  who  were  still  thin- 
ning their  ranks  by  the  deadly  fire  of  their  rifles  and  their 
terrible  butt-end  blows. 

'•  Very  well,  lay  down  your  arms,"  cried  Andreas  Hofer,  in 
a  powerful  voice.  u  Stop,  Tyrolese  !  If  they  surrender,  no- 
body shall  hurt  a  hair  of  their  heads,  for  then  they  are  no 
longer  our  enemies,  but  our  brethren. — Lay  down  your  arms, 
Bavarians  ! " 

The  Tyrolese,  obedient  to  the  orders  of  their  commander, 
stopped  the  furious  slaughter,  and  gazed  with  gloomy  eyes  at 
their  hated  enemies. 

There  was  a  moment  of  breathless  silence,  and  then  the 
Bavarian  officers  were  heard  to  command  in  tremulous 
voices,  "  Lay  down  your  arms  !  " 

And  their  men  obeyed  readily.  Three  hundred  and  eighty 
soldiers,  and  nine  officers,  laid  down  their  arms  here  on  the 
plain  of  the  Sterzinger  Moos,  and  surrendered  at  discretion  to 
the  Tyrolese.* 

On  seeing  this,  the  Tyrolese  burst  into  loud  cheers,  and 
Andreas  Hofer  lifted  his  beaming  eyes  to  heaven.  "  I  thank 
Thee.  Lord  God,"  he  said  ;  "  with  Thy  assistance  we  have 
achieved  a  victory.  It  is  the  first  love-offering  which  we  pre- 
sent to  fatherland  and  our  Emperor  Francis." 

'*  Long  live  the  Tyrol  and  our  Emperor  Francis  ! "  shouted 
the  Tyrolese,  enthusiastically. 

The  Bavarians  stood  silent,  with  downcast  eyes  and  pale 
faces,  while  the  active  Tyrolese  lads  hastily  collected  the  arms 
they  had  laid  down  and  placed  them  on  one  of  the  wagons, 
from  which  they  had  quickly  removed  the  hay. 

"  What  is  to  be  done  with  our  prisoners,  the  Bavarians  ? " 

*  "  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  31. 


THE  HAY-WAGONS.  183 

said  Anthony  Sieberer  to  Andreas  Hofer.  "  We  cannot  take 
them  with  us." 

''  No,  we  cannot,  nor  will  the  enemy  give  us  time  for  doing 
so,"  replied  Hofer.  '*  Anthony  Wallner  has  informed  me  that 
a  strong  corps  of  Bavarians  and  French  is  approaching  in  the 
direction  of  the  Muhlbacher  Klause.  They  must  not  meet  us 
here  on  the  plain,  for  a  fight  under  such  circumstances  would 
manifestly  be  to  our  disadvantage.  They  would  be  a  great 
deal  stronger  here  than  we.  But  in  the  mountains  we  are 
able  to'  overcome  them.  They  are  the  fortresses  which  the 
good  God  built  for  our  country  ;  and  when  the  enemy  passes, 
we  shall  attack  and  defeat  him." 

"  And  shall  we  take  the  prisoners  with  us  into  the  moun- 
tains, commander  ? " 

"  No,  we  will  not,  for  we  cannot  guard  them  well  up  there, 
and  they  would  escape.  We  will  not  take  the  prisoners  with 
us,  but  convey  them  to  the  Baroness  von  Sternberg  at  Castle 
Steinach.  She  is  ardently  devoted  to  our  cause,  and  loves 
the  Tyrol  and  the  emperor.  She  will  take  care  of  the  pris- 
oners, and  they  will  be  unable  to  escape  from  the  large  tower, 
the  Wolfsthurm,  on  the  crest  yonder,  which  you  can  see  from 
here." 

"  But  who  is  to  convey  the  prisoners  to  Castle  Steinach  ? 
Are  we  all  to  march  thither  and  deliver  them  before  advanc- 
ing farther  ? " 

"  No,  no,  Anthony  Sieberer ;  we  have  not  time  for  that. 
We  must  bury  the  corpses  here  quickly,  and  remove  every 
trace  of  the  contest,  in  order  that  the  French,  on  arriving 
here,  may  not  discover  what  has  occurred,  and  that  we  are 
close  by.  Only  thirty  of  our  men  shall  escort  the  prisoners  to 
Castle  Steinach." 

"Only  thirty,  commander?  Will  that  be  sufficient  for 
three  hundred  and  eighty  prisoners  ?  If  they  should  attack 
our  men  on  the  road,  they  would  beat  them,  for  they  would 
be  twelve  to  one." 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Andreas  Hofer  in  confusion  ;  "  what 
are  we  to  do  to  get  a  stronger  escort  for  the  prisoners  ? " 

He  stroked  his  beard  nervously,  as  was  his  wont  in 
moments  of  great  excitement,  and  he  glanced  uneasily, 


184  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

now  here,  now  there.  All  at  once  a  smile  illuminated  his 
face. 

"  I  have  got  it,"  he  said  merrily.  "  Look  there,  Sieberer, 
look  there.  What  do  you  see  there  ? " 

"  The  women  who  have  accompanied  us,  and  who  are 
kissing  Eliza  Wallner  and  Anna  Gamper  for  their  heroic  con- 
duct." 

"  The  women  shall  help  our  thirty  sharpshooters  to  escort 
the  prisoners  to  Castle  Steinach.  Our  women  have  brave 
hearts  and  strong  arms,  and  they  know  how  to  use  the  rifle 
for  the  fatherland  and  the  emperor.  Let  them,  then,  take 
some  of  the  arms  which  we  have  conquered,  and,  jointly 
with  thirty  of  our  men,  escort  the  prisoners  to  the  good 
Baroness  von  Sternberg.  Oh,  Lizzie  Wallner,  Lizzie  Wall- 
ner ! " 

"  Here  I  am,  commander,"  cried  Eliza,  hastening  to  An- 
dreas Hofer  with  flushed  cheeks  and  beaming  eyes. 

He  patted  her  cheeks  smilingly.  "  You  are  a  brave,  noble 
girl,"  he  said,  "and  none  of  us  will  ever  forget  what  you 
have  done  to-day  ;  and  the  whole  Tyrol  shall  learn  what  a 
splendid  and  intrepid  girl  you  are.  But  I  wish  to  confer  a 
special  reward  on  you,  Lizzie  ;  I  wish  to  appoint  you  captain 
of  a  company,  and  your  company  is  to  consist  of  all  those 
women." 

"  And  what  does  the  commander-in-chief  order  me  to  do 
with  my  company  of  women  ? "  asked  Eliza  Wallner. 

"  Captain  Lizzie,  you  are  to  escort  with  your  company  and 
thirty  Tyrolese  sharpshooters  the  three  hundred  and  eighty 
Bavarians  to  Castle  Steinach.  Your  arms  you  will  take  from 
the  wagon  yonder,  which  Captain  Lizzie  drove  so  heroically 
toward  the  enemy.  Will  you  undertake  to  escort  the  prison- 
ers safely  to  Steinach  ? " 

"  I  will,  commander.  But  after  that  I  should  like  to  return 
to  my  father.  He  must  be  uneasy  about  me  by  this  time,  and 
he  would  like  also  to  know  how  the  Tyrolese  have  succeeded 
on  this  side.  Oh  !  he  will  be  exceedingly  glad  when  I  bring 
him  greetings  from  his  beloved  Andreas  Hofer." 

"  Go,  then,  my  dear  child,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  nodding  to 
her  tenderly,  and  laying  his  hand  on  her  beautiful  head. 


CAPTURE  OF  INNSPRUCK.  185 

"  Go,  with  God's  blessing,  and  greet  your  father  in  my  name. 
Tell  him  that  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  are  with  us  and  have 
blessed  our  cause  ;  therefore  we  will  never  despond,  but  al- 
ways fight  bravely  and  cheerfully  for  our  libertv  and  our  dear 
emperor.  Go,  Lizzie  ;  escort  the  prisoners  to  Steinach,  and 
then  return  to  your  father." 

Eliza  kissed  his  hand  ;  then  left  him  and  communicated 
Andreas  Hofer's  order  to  the  women.  They  received  it  joy- 
ously, and  hastened  to  the  wagon  to  get  the  arms. 

Half  an  hour  afterward  a  strange  procession  was  seen 
moving  along  the  road  leading  to  Castle  Steinach.  A  long 
column  of  soldiers,  without  arms,  with  heads  bent  down  and 
gloomy  faces,  marched  on  the  road.  On  both  sides  of  them 
walked  the  women,  with  heads  erect,  and  proud,  triumphant 
faces,  each  shouldering  a  musket  or  a  sword.  Here  and  there 
marched  two  Tyrolese  sharpshooters,  who  were  watching 
with  the  keen  and  distrustful  eyes  of  shepherds'  dogs  the  sol- 
diers marching  in  their  midst. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

CAPTURE  OF  INNSPRUCK. 

GENERAL  KINKEL,  governor  of  Innspruck,  had  just  finished 
his  dinner,  and  repaired  to  his  cabinet,  whither  he  had  sum- 
moned some  of  the  superior  officers  to  give  them  fresh  instruc- 
tions. To-day,  the  llth  of  April,  all  sorts  of  news  had  ar- 
rived from  the  Tyrol  ;  and  although  this  news  did  not  alarm 
the  Bavarian  general,  he  thought  it  nevertheless  somewhat 
strange  and  unusual.  He  had  learned  that  Lieutenant-Colonel 
von  Wreden,  despite  General  Kinkel's  express  orders,  had 
rashly  evacuated  his  position  at  Brunecken  and  destroyed  the 
bridge  of  Laditch.  Besides,  vague  rumors  had  reached  him 
about  an  insurrection  among  the  peasants  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Innspruck  ;  and  even  on  the  surrounding  mountains,  it 
was  said,  bands  of  armed  insurgents  had  been  seen. 

"  We  have  treated  these  miserable  peasants  by  far  too  leni- 
ently and  kindly,"  said  General  Kinkel,  with  a  shrug,  whet> 
13 


186  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

his  officer  communicated  this  intelligence  to  him.  "We 
shall  adopt  a  more  rigorous  course,  make  examples  of  a  few, 
and  all  will  be  quiet  and  submissive  again.  What  do  these 
peasants  want?  Are  they  already  so  arrogant  as  to  think 
themselves  capable  of  coping  with  our  brave  regular  troops  ? " 

"  They  count  upon  the  assistance  of  Austria,"  replied  Colo- 
nel Dittf  urt ;  *'  and  General  von  Chasteler  is  said  to  have 
promised  the  peasants  that  he  will  invade  the  Tyrol  one  of 
these  days." 

"  It  is  a  miserable  lie  ! "  cried  the  general,  with  a  disdainful 
smile.  "The  Austrians  will  not  be  so  bold  as  to  take  the 
offensive,  for  they  know  full  well  that  the  great  Emperor  Na- 
poleon will  consider  every  invasion  of  Bavarian  territory  an 
attack  upon  France  herself,  and  that  we  ourselves  should 
drive  the  impudent  invaders  from  our  mountains." 

"  That  is  to  say,  so  long  as  the  mountains  are  still  ours,  and 
not  yet  occupied  by  the  peasants,  your  excellency,"  said  Major 
Beim,  who  entered  the  room  at  this  moment. 

**  What  do  you  mean  ? "  asked  the  general. 

"I  mean  that  larger  and  larger  bands  of  peasants  are  ad- 
vancing upon  Innspruck,  that  they  have  already  attacked  and 
driven  in  our  pickets,  and  that  the  latter  have  just  escaped 
from  them  into  the  city." 

"  Then  it  is  time  for  us  to  resort  to  energetic  and  severe 
steps,"  cried  General  Kinkel,  angrily.  "  Colonel  Dittfurt,  send 
immediately  a  dispatch  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  von  Wreden, 
who  is  stationed  at  Brixen.  Write  to  him  in  my  name  that  I  am 
highly  indignant  at  his  evacuating  his  position  at  Brunecken 
and  destroying  the  bridge  of  Laditch.  Tell  him  I  order  him 
to  act  with  the  utmost  energy  ;  every  peasant  arrested  with 
arms  in  his  hands  is  to  be  shot ;  every  village  participating  in 
the  insurrection  is  to  be  burned  down  ;  and  he  is  to  advance 
his  patrols  again  to  and  beyond  Brunecken.  These  patrols 
are  to  ascertain  if  Austrian  troops  are  really  following  the  in- 
surgent peasants.  Bring  this  dispatch  to  me  that  I  may  sign 
it,  and  then  immediately  send  off  a  courier  with  it  to  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel von  Wreden."* 

*  General  Kinkel  sent  off  this  dispatch  a  day  after  Wreden  had  been  de- 
feated by  the  Tyrolese,  and  after  the  Austrians  had  invaded  the  Tyrol.  Tht 


CAPTURE  OF  INNSPRDCK.  187 

Colonel  Dittfurt  went  to  the  desk  and  commenced  writing 
the  dispatch.  ''  Miserable  peasants  !  "  he  murmured,  on  hand- 
ing the  dispatch  to  the  general  ;  "  it  is  already  a  humiliation 
that  we  must  devote  attention  to  them  and  occupy  ourselves 
with  them." 

"  Yes,  you  are  right,''  sighed  the  general,  signing  the  dis- 
patch ;  "  these  people,  who  know  only  how  to  handle  the  flail, 
become  every  day  more  impudent  and  intolerable  ;  and  I  am 
really  glad  that  I  shall  now  at  length  have  an  opportunity  to 
humiliate  them  and  reduce  them  to  obedience.  Henceforth 
we  will  no  longer  spare  them.  No  quarter  !  He  who  is 
taken  sword  in  hand,  will  be  executed  on  the  spot.  We  must 
nip  this  insurrection  in  the  bud,  and  chastise  the  traitors  with 
inexorable  rigor.  Well,  what  is  it  ? "  he  asked  vehemently, 
turning  to  the  orderly  who  entered  the  room  at  this  moment. 

"  Your  excellency,  I  have  to  inform  you  that  all  our  pickets 
have  been  driven  into  the  city.  The  peasants  have  assembled 
in  large  masses  on  the  neighboring  mountains  and  opened 
thence  a  most  murderous  fire  upon  our  pickets.  Ouly  a  few 
men  of  each  picket  have  returned  ;  the  others  lie  dead  outside 
the  city." 

"Matters  seem  to  become  serious,"  murmured  General 
Kinkel.  a  All  our  pickets  driven  in  !  That  is  to  say,  then, 
the  peasants  are  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  city  ? " 

"  All  the  environs  of  Innspruck  are  in  full  insurrection, 
your  excellency,  and  the  citizens  of  Innspruck  seem  likewise 
strongly  inclined  to  join  the  insurrection.  There  are  riotous 
groups  in  the  streets,  and  on  my  way  hither  I  heard  all  sorts 
of  menacing  phrases,  and  met  everywhere  with  sullen,  defiant 
faces." 

"  Ah,  I  will  silence  this  seditious  rabble  and  make  their 
faces  mild  and  modest !"  cried  the  general,  in  a  threatening 
voice.  "  Let  all  the  public  places  in  the  city  be  occupied  by 
troops,  and  field-pieces  be  placed  on  the  bridges  of  the  Inn. 
Let  patrols  march  through  the  streets  all  night,  and  every 
citizen  who  is  found  in  the  street  after  nine  o'clock,  or  keeps 
his  house  lighted  up  after  that  hour,  shall  be  shot.  Make 

Bavarian  authorities  at  Innspruck  were  in  complete  ignorance  of  all  these 
event*. 


ANDREAS  HOFER. 

haste,  gentlemen,  and  carry  my  orders  literally  into  execution. 
Have  the  patrols  call  upon  all  citizens  to  keep  quiet  and  not 
appear  in  the  streets  after  nine  o'clock.  Sentence  of  death 
will  be  passed  upon  those  who  violate  this  order." 

Owing  to  these  orders  issued  by  the  general,  a  profound 
stillness  reigned  at  night  in  the  streets  of  Innspruck  ;  no  one 
was  to  be  seen  in  the  streets,  and  on  marching  through  them 
the  patrols  did  not  find  a  single  offender  whom  they  might 
have  subjected  to  the  inexorable  rigor  of  martial  law.  But 
no  sooner  had  the  patrols  turned  round  a  corner  than  dark 
forms  emerged  here  and  there  from  behind  the  pillars  of  the 
houses,  the  wells,  and  the  crucifixes,  glided  with  the  noiseless 
agility  of  cats  along  the  houses,  and  knocked  here  and  there 
at  the  window-panes.  The  windows  opened  softly,  whispers 
were  heard  and  the  rustling  of  paper,  and  the  forms  glided  on 
to  commence  the  same  working  and  whispering  at  the  next 
house. 

The  Bavarian  patrols  had  no  inkling  of  these  dark  ravens 
flitting  everywhere  behind  them,  as  if  scenting  in  them  al- 
ready the  prey  of  death  ;  but  the  citizens  of  Innspruck  con- 
sidered these  hirds  of  the  night,  who  knocked  at  their  windows, 
auspicious  doves,  even  though,  instead  of  the  olive-branch, 
they  brought  only  a  sheet  of  paper  with  them.  But  this  sheet 
of  paper  contained  words  that  thrilled  all  hearts  with  joy  and 
happiness  ;  it  announced  that  the  Austrians  had  already  in- 
vaded the  Tyrol  ;  that  General  von  Chasteler  was  already  ad- 
vancing upon  Innspruck  ;  that  the  Emperor  Francis  sent  the 
Tyrolese  the  greetings  of  his  love  ;  and  that  the  Archduke 
John  was  preventing  the  French  troops  in  Italy  from  succor- 
ing the  Bavarians  in  the  Tyrol ;  nay,  that  he  and  his  army 
would  deliver  and  protect  the  Tyrol.  Some  of  the  brave 
sharpshooters  of  the  Passeyr  valley  had  been  bold  enough  to 
steal  into  the  city  of  Innspruck  despite  the  presence  of  the 
Bavarian  troops,  and  the  patrols  could  not  prevent  the  citizens 
from  receiving  the  joyful  tidings  of  the  approach  of  the  Aus- 
trians, nor  the  Tyrolese  sharpshooters  from  whispering  to 
them  :  "  Be  ready  early  to-morrow  morning.  To-morrow  we 
shall  attack  the  city  ;  assist  us  then,  hurl  down  from  the  roofs 
of  your  houses  on  the  Bavarians  stones,  jars,  and  whatever 


CAPTURE   OF   INNSPRUCK.  189 

you  may  have  at  hand  ;  keep  your  doors  open,  that  we  may 
get  in,  and  hold  food  and  refreshments  in  readiness.  We 
shall  come  to-morrow.  Innspruck  must  be  delivered  from 
the  Bavarians  to-morrow  ! " 

The  morrow  came  at  last.  The  12th  of  April  dawned  upon 
the  city  of  Innspruck. 

The  Bavarians  had  carried  out  the  orders  of  General  Kin- 
kel  ;  they  had  occupied  all  the  public  places,  and  planted  bat- 
teries on  the  bridges  of  the  Inn. 

But  so  ardent  was  the  enthusiasm  of  the  Tyrolese,  that 
these  batteries  did  not  deter  them.  They  rushed  forward  with 
loud  shouts  ;  using  their  spears,  halberds,  and  the  butt-ends  of 
their  muskets,  they  fell  with  resistless  impetuosity  upon  the 
Bavarians,  drove  them  back,  shot  the  gunners  at  the  guns,  and 
carried  the  important  bridge  of  Miihlau. 

Tremendous  cheers  announced  this  first  victory  to  the  in- 
habitants of  Innspruck.  The  Tyrolese  then  rushed  forward 
over  the  bridge  and  penetrated  into  the  streets  of  the  Hot- 
tin  ger  suburb.  The  street-doors  of  the  houses  opened  to  them  ; 
they  entered  them,  or  took  position  behind  the  pillars,  and 
fired  from  the  windows  and  their  hiding-places,  at  the  Bavari- 
ans who  were  stationed  on  the  upper  bridge  of  the  Inn,  and 
were  firing  thence  at  the  Tyrolese.  The  Bavarian  bullets, 
however,  whistled  harmlessly  through  the  streets,  the  alert 
Tyrolese  concealing  themselves,  before  every  volley,  in  the 
houses  or  behind  the  walls.  But  no  sooner  had  the  bullets 
dropped  than  they  stepped  forward,  sang,  and  laughed,  and 
discharged  their  rifles,  until  the  exasperated  Bavarians  fired 
at  them  again,  when  the  singing  Tyrolese  disappeared  once 
more  in  their  hiding-places. 

All  at  once  loud  cheers  and  hurrahs  resounded  on  the  con- 
quered bridge  of  Miihlau,  and  a  tall,  heroic  form,  surrounded 
by  a  detachment  of  armed  Tyrolese,  appeared  on  the  bridge. 

It  was  Joseph  Speckbacher,  who,  after  capturing  Hall  by  a 
daring  coup  de  main,  had  now  arrived  with  his  brave  men 
to  assist  the  Tyrolese  in  delivering  Innspruck  from  the  Ba- 
varians. 

The  Tyrolese  thronged  exultingly  around  him,  informing 
him  of  the  struggle  that  had  already  taken  place,  and  telling 


190  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

him  that  the  Bavarians  had  been  driven  from  the  bridge  and 
hurled  back  into  the  city. 

"  And  now  you  stand  still  here,  instead  of  advancing  ? " 
asked  Speckbacher,  casting  fiery  glances  toward  the  enemy. 
"  What  are  you  waiting  for,  my  friends  ?  Why  do  you  not 
attack  the  enemy  ? " 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  Speckbacher  took  off  his  hat, 
swung  it  in  the  air,  and  shouted  in  a  loud,  enthusiastic  voice  : 
"  Long  live  the  Emperor  Francis  !  Down  with  the  Bavari- 
ans !" 

All  repeated  this  shout  amid  the  most  tumultuous  cheers. 
All  cried,  "  Long  live  the  Emperor  Francis  !  Down  with  the 
Bavarians  ! " 

"  Now  forward  !  forward  !  We  must  take  the  bridge  ! " 
shouted  Speckbacher.  "  Those  who  love  the  Tyrol  will  follow 
me!" 

And  he  rushed  forward,  like  an  angry  bear,  toward  the 
bridge  of  the  Inn. 

The  Tyrolese,  carried  away  by  their  enthusiasm,  followed 
him  at  the  double-quick  toward  the  bridge,  where  the  mouths 
of  the  cannon  were  staring  at  them  menacingly.  But  the 
Tyrolese  were  not  afraid  of  the  cannon  ;  death  had  no  longer 
any  terrors  for  them  !  their  courage  imparted  to  them  resist- 
less power  and  impetuosity.  They  rushed  up  to  the  cannon, 
slew  the  gunners  with  the  butt-ends  of  their  rifles,  or  lifted 
them  up  by  the  hair  and  hurled  them  over  the  railing  of  the 
bridge  into  the  foaming  waters  of  the  Inn.  Then  they  turned 
the  cannon,  and  some  students  from  Innspruck,  who  had 
joined  the  Tyrolese,  undertook  to  man  them. 

A  dense  column  of  Bavarians  advanced  upon  them  ;  the 
peasants  uttered  loud  cheers,  the  cannon  thundered  and 
mowed  down  whole  ranks  of  them.  They  gave  way,  and  the 
Tyrolese,  who  saw  it,  advanced  with  triumphant  shouts  into 
the  city  and  took  street  after  street.  And  wherever  they 
came,  they  met  with  willing  assistance  at  the  hands  of  the 
citizens  ;  in  every  street  which  they  entered,  the  windows 
opened,  and  shots  were  fired  from  them  at  the  Bavarian 
troops  ;  every  house  became  a  fortress,  every  tower  a  citadel. 
A  frightful  scene  ensued  :  the  Bavarians  in  some  places  sur- 


CAPTURE   OF   INNSPRUCK.  191 

rendered  and  begged  for  quarter  ;  in  others  they  continued 
the  combat  with  undaunted  resolution  ;  and  in  the  meUe  sev- 
eral bloody  deeds  were  committed,  which,  in  their  cooler  mo- 
ments, the  Tyrolese  would  have  been  the  first  to  condemn. 

All  at  once  loud  cheers  burst  forth  in  the  streets,  and  the 
Tyrolese  repeated  again  and  again  the  joyful  news  :  "  Major 
Teimer  has  arrived  ;  he  has  several  companies  of  the  militia 
under  his  command,  and  with  these  brave  men  he  has  already 
penetrated  into  the  heart  of  the  city,  up  to  the  principal  guard- 
house !  He  has  already  surrounded  the  Engelhans,  General 
Kinkel's  headquarters,  and  is  negotiating  a  capitulation  with 
the  general."  This  almost  incredible  intelligence  raised  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  Tyrolese  to  the  highest  pitch.  They  rushed 
forward  with  irresistible  impetuosity  toward  the  barracks  and 
disarmed  all  the  soldiers  who  had  remained  there  in  order  to 
relieve  their  exhausted  comrades.  Then  they  rushed  again 
into  the  street,  toward  the  principal  guard -house,  where  an 
obstinate  struggle  was  going  on.  There,  at  the  head  of  his 
regiment,  stood  Colonel  Dittfurt,  firmly  determined  to  die 
rather  than  surrender  to  the  peasants. 

But  the  peasants  came  up  in  overwhelming  numbers,  and 
a  detachment  of  sharpshooters,  headed  by  Major  Teimer,  had 
already  penetrated  into  the  general's  house,  and  entered  his 
sitting-room.  From  the  houses  all  around,  the  Tyrolese  were 
firing  at  the  soldiers,  who,  gnashing  their  teeth  with  rage  and 
grief,  did  not  even  enjoy  the  satisfaction  of  wreaking  venge- 
ance on  them  ;  for  their  enemies  were  concealed  behind  the 
walls  and  pillars,  while  the  soldiers  were  defenceless,  and  had 
to  allow  themselves  to  be  laid  prostrate  by  the  unerring  aim 
of  the  sharpshooters. 

Angry,  scolding,  imperious  voices  were  now  heard  at  Gen- 
eral Kinkel's  window,  and  a  strange  sight  was  presented  to  the 
eyes  of  the  dismayed  soldiers.  Teimer's  face,  flushed  with 
anger  and  excitement,  appeared  at  the  window.  He  was  seen 
approaching  it  hastily  and  thrusting  General  Kinkel's  head 
and  shoulders  forcibly  out  of  it. 

"  Surrender  ! "  threatened  Teimer  ;  "  surrender,  or  I  shall 
hurl  you  out  of  the  window  ! '' 

*  Hormayr's  "  History  of  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  L,  p.  249. 


192  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"Colonel  Dittfurt,"  cried  General  Kinkel,  in  a  doleful 
voice,  "you  see  that  further  resistance  is  useless.  We  must 
surrender  ! " 

"No  !  "  shouted  the  colonel,  pale  with  rage  ;  "no,  we  shall 
not  surrender ;  no.  we  shall  not  incur  the  disgrace  of  laying 
down  our  arms  before  this  ragged  mob.  We  can  die,  but 
shall  not  surrender  !  Forward,  my  brave  soldiers,  forward  !  " 

And  Dittfurt  rushed  furiously,  followed  by  his  soldiers, 
upon  the  Tyrolese  who  were  approaching  at  this  moment. 
Suddenly  he  reeled  back.  Two  bullets  had  hit  him  at  the 
same  time,  and  the  blood  streamed  from  two  wounds.  But 
these  wounds,  instead  of  paralyzing  his  courage,  inflamed  it 
still  more.  He  overcame  his  pain  and  weakness,  and,  bran- 
dishing his  sword,  rushed  forward. 

A  third  bullet  whistled  up  and  penetrated  his  breast.  He 
sank  down  ;  blood  streamed  from  his  mouth  and  his  nose. 
The  Tyrolese  burst  into  deafening  cheers,  and  approached  the 
fallen  officer  to  take  his  sword  from  him.  But  he  sprang 
once  more  to  his  feet ;  he  would  not  fall  alive  into  the  hands 
of  the  peasants  ;  he  felt  that  he  had  to  die,  but  he  would  die 
like  a  soldier  on  the  field  of  honor,  and  not  as  a  prisoner  of 
the  peasants.  Livid  as  a  corpse,  his  face  covered  with  gore, 
his  uniform  saturated  with  blood,  Dittfurt  reeled  forward,  and 
drove  his  soldiers,  with  wild  imprecations,  entreaties,  and 
threats  toward  the  hospital,  whence  the  Tyrolese  poured  their 
murderous  fire  into  the  ranks  of  the  Bavarians.  But  scarcely 
had  he  advanced  a  few  steps  when  a  fourth  bullet  struck  him 
and  laid  him  prostrate. 

His  regiment,  seized  with  dismay,  shouted  out  that  it  would 
surrender,  and,  in  proof  of  this  intention,  the  soldiers  laid 
down  their  arms. 

The  Bavarian  cavalry,  to  avoid  the  disgrace  of  such  a  ca- 
pitulation, galloped  in  wild  disorder  toward  the  gate  and  the 
Hofgarten.  But  there  Speckbacher  had  taken  position  with 
the  peasants,  who,  mostly  armed  only  with  pitchforks,  had 
hurried  to  the  scene  of  the  combat  from  the  immediate  en- 
virons of  Inspruck.  But  these  pitchforks  seemed  to  the  pan- 
ic-stricken cavalry  to  be  terrible,  murderous  weapons  ;  can- 
non would  have  appeared  to  them  less  dreadful  than  the 


CAPTURE   OF   INNSPRUCK.  193 

glittering  pitchforks,  with  which  the  shouting  peasants  rushed 
upon  them,  and  which  startled  not  only  the  soldiers  but  their 
horses  also.  The  soldiers  thought  the  wounds  made  by  pitch- 
forks more  horrible  and  ignominious  than  utter  defeat,  and 
even  death.  Thunderstruck  at  their  desperate  position,  hardly 
knowing  what  befell  them,  unable  to  offer  further  resistance, 
they  allowed  themselves  to  be  torn  from  their  horses  by  the 
peasants,  to  whom  they  handed  their  arms  in  silence.  The 
Tyrolese  then  mounted  the  horses,  and  in  a  triumphant  pro- 
cession, headed  by  Joseph  Speckbacher,  they  conducted  their 
prisoners  back  to  Innspruck.* 

There  the  enemy  had  likewise  surrendered  in  the  mean 
time,  and  the  barracks  which,  until  yesterday,  had  been  the 
quarters  of  the  oppressors  of  the  Tyrolese,  the  Bavarian  sol- 
diers, became  now  the  prisons  of  the  defeated.  Escorted  by 
the  peasants,  the  disarmed  and  defenceless  Bavarians  were 
hurried  into  the  barracks,  whose  doors  closed  noisily  behind 
them. 

Innspruck  was  now  free  ;  not  an  armed  Bavarian  soldier 
remained  in  the  city,  but  the  Tyrolese,  to  the  number  of  up- 
ward of  fifteen  thousand,  poured  into  the  streets,  and  the  citi- 
zens joined  them  exultingly,  and  thanked  the  courageous 
peasants  for  delivering  them  from  the  foreign  yoke.  The 
city,  which  for  three  hours  had  been  a  wild  scene  of  terror, 
havoc,  bloodshed,  and  death,  resounded  now  at  the  hour  of 
mid-day  with  cheers  and  exultation  ;  nothing  was  heard  but 
hurrahs,  songs,  and  cheers  for  the  Emperor  Francis  and  the 
beloved  Tyrol. 

Every  minute  added  to  the  universal  joy.  The  victorious 
Tyrolese,  mounted  on  the  horses  of  the  Bavarian  cavalry,  and 
headed  by  the  proud  and  triumphant  Speckbacher  and  a  rural 
band  of  music,  appeared  with  their  prisoners.  Two  badly- 
tuned  violins,  two  shrill  fifes,  two  iron  pot-lids,  and  several 
jews'-harps,  were  the  instruments  of  this  band.  But  the 
musicians  tried  to  make  as  much  noise  with  them  as  possible, 
and  the  citizens  considered  their  music  sweeter  and  finer  thar 
the  splendid  tunes  which  the  bands  of  the  Bavarian  regiments 
had  played  to  them  up  to  this  time. 

*  Horruayr's  "  History  of  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  i.,  p.  260. 


194  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

New  cheers  rent  the  air  at  this  moment.  A  squad  of  peas- 
ants brought  the  great  imperial  eagle,  which  they  had  taken 
down  from  the  tomb  of  Maximilian  in  the  High  Church  of 
Innspruck.  They  had  decorated  it  with  red  ribbons,  and 
carried  it  amid  deafening  acclamations  through  the  streets. 
On  beholding  the  eagle  of  Austria,  the  excited  masses  set  no 
bounds  to  their  rejoicings  ;  they  flocked  in  crowds  to  gaze  at 
it ;  citizens  and  peasants  vied  in  manifesting  their  devotion  to 
the  precious  emblem  ;  they  blessed  it  and  kissed  it.  No  one 
was  permitted  to  stay  a  long  while  near  it,  for  the  impatience 
of  his  successor  compelled  him  to  pass  on.  But  an  aged  man, 
with  silvery  hair,  but  with  a  form  still  vigorous  and  unbent, 
would  not  allow  himself  to  be  pushed  on  in  this  manner.  An 
hour  ago  he  had  fought  like  a  lion  in  the  ranks  of  the  Tyro- 
lese,  and  anger  and  rage  had  flashed  from  his  face  ;  but  now, 
at  the  sight  of  the  Austrian  eagle,  he  was  as  mild  and  gentle 
as  a  lamb,  and  only  love  and  blissful  emotion  beamed  from 
his  face.  He  encircled  the  eagle  with  both  his  arms,  kissed 
the  two  heads  and  gilded  crowns,  and,  stroking  the  carved 
plumes  tenderly,  exclaimed  :  "  Well,  old  eagle,  have  your 
plumes  really  grown  again  ?  Have  you  returned  to  the  loyal 
Tyrol  to  stay  here  for  all  time  to  come  ?  Will — 

Loud  cheers  interrupted  him  at  this  moment.  Another 
crowd  of  Tyrolese  came  up  the  street,  preceded  by  four  peas- 
ants, who  were  carrying  two  portraits  in  fine  golden  frames. 
Deafening  acclamations  rent  the  air  as  soon  as  the  people  be- 
held these  two  portraits.  Everybody  recognized  them  as  those 
of  the  Emperor  Francis  and  the  Archduke  John.  The  peas- 
ants had  found  them  in  the  old  imperial  palace. 

"  Long  live  the  Emperor  Francis  !  Long  live  our  Archduke 
John  ! "  shouted  the  people  in  the  streets,  and  in  the  houses 
which  the  procession  passed  on  its  march  through  the  city. 
Even  the  Austrian  eagle,  which  had  been  greeted  so  tenderly, 
was  forgotten  at  the  sight  of  the  two  portraits,  and  all  accom- 
panied this  solemn  procession  of  love  and  loyalty. 

This  procession  moved  through  the  whole  city  until  it 
iinally  reached  the  triumphal  arch  which  Maria  Theresa  had 
ordered  to  be  erected  in  honor  of  the  wedding  of  her  son  Leo- 
pold. The  Tyrolese  placed  the  portraits  of  Leopold's  two  sons 


CAPTURE  OF  INNSPRUCK.  195 

on  this  triumphal  arch,  and  surrounded  them  by  candles  kept 
constantly  burning  ;  every  one  then  bent  his  knee,  and  ex- 
claimed :  "  Long  live  the  Emperor  Francis  1  Long  live  our 
dear  Archduke  John  ! "  Woe  unto  him  who  should  have 
dared  to  pass  these  portraits  without  taking  off  his  hat !  the 
Tyrolese  would  have  compelled  him  to  do  it,  and  to  bend  his 
knee. 

"  Well,"  they  exclaimed,  "  there  is  our  Francis,  and  there  is 
our  John.  Look,  does  it  not  seem  as  though  he  were  smiling 
at  us,  and  were  glad  of  being  here  again  and  able  to  gaze  at 
us  ?  Long  live  our  dear  Archduke  John  ! " 

And  they  again  burst  into  cheers  which,  if  the  Archduke 
John  had  been  able  to  hear  them,  would  have  filled  his  heart 
with  delight  and  his  eyes  with  tears. 

These  rejoicings  around  the  eagle  and  the  portraits  lasted 
all  day.  The  whole  city  presented  a  festive  spectacle,  and  the 
overjoyed  Tyrolese  scarcely  thought  to-day  of  eating  and 
drinking,  much  less  of  the  dangers  which  might  menace  them. 
They  sang,  and  shouted,  and  laughed  ;  and  when  night  came 
they  sank  down  exhausted  by  the  efforts  of  the  fight,  and  still 
more  by  their  boundless  rejoicings,  to  the  ground  where 
they  were  standing,  in  the  streets,  in  the  gardens,  in  the  fields, 
and  fell  asleep. 

Profound  silence  reigned  now  in  the  streets  of  Innspruck. 
It  was  dark  everywhere  :  bright  lights  beamed  only  from  the 
portraits  of  the  emperor  and  the  Archduke  John  ;  and  the 
stars  of  heaven  looked  down  upon  the  careless  and  happy 
sleepers,  the  victors  of  Innspruck. 

They  slept,  dreaming  of  victory  and  happiness.  Woe  to 
them  if  they  sleep  too  long  and  awake  too  late,  for  the  ene- 
my does  not  sleep  !  He  is  awake  and  approaching,  while 
the  victors  are  sleeping. 


196  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  CAPITULATION  OF  WILTAU. 

THE  Tyrolese  were  were  still  asleep,  and  profound  stillness 
reigned  yet  in  the  streets  of  Innspruck,  although  it  was  already 
after  daybreak,  and  the  first  rays  of  the  rising  sun  shed  a  crim- 
son lustre  on  the  summits  of  the  mountains.  All  at  once  this 
silence  was  broken  by  a  strange,  loud,  and  plaintive  note  which 
seemed  to  resound  in  the  air  ;  it  was  followed  by  a  second  and 
third  note  ;  and,  as  if  responding  to  these  distant  calls,  the 
large  bell  of  the  High  Church  of  Innspruck  aroused  with  its 
ringing  voice  the  weary  sleepers  to  renewed  efforts. 

They  raised  themselves  from  the  ground  ;  they  listened, 
still  drowsy,  to  these  strange  notes  in  the  air.  Suddenly  two 
horsemen  galloped  through  the  streets,  and  their  clarion  voices 
struck  the  ears  of  the  Tyrolese. 

"  Up,  sleepers  ! "  cried  Joseph  Speckbacher  ;  "  do  you  not 
hear  the  tocsin  ?  Rise,  rise,  take  your  rifles  !  the  French  and 
Bavarians  are  at  the  gates  of  the  city,  and  we  must  meet  them 
again." 

"  Rise,  Tyrolese  !  "  shouted  Major  Teimer  ;  "  the  French 
and  Bavarians  are  coming.  We  must  prevent  them  from 
penetrating  into  Innspruck.  We  must  barricade  the  gates, 
and  erect  barricades  in  the  streets." 

The  Tyrolese  jumped  up,  fresh,  lively,  and  ready  for  the 
fray.  Their  sleep  had  strengthened  them,  and  yesterday's  vic- 
tory had  steeled  their  courage.  The  enemy  was  there,  and 
they  were  ready  to  defeat  him  a  second  time. 

The  bells  of  all  the  churches  of  Innspruck  were  now  rung, 
and  those  of  the  neighboring  village  steeples  responded  to 
them.  They  called  upon  the  able-bodied  men  to  take  up  arms 
against  the  enemy,  whose  advanced  guard  could  be  seen  al- 
ready on  the  crests  yonder  Yes,  there  was  no  mistake  about 
it :  those  men  were  the  French  and  Bavarians,  who  were  de- 
scending the  slope  and  approaching  in  strong  columns. 

A  Tyrolese  rushed  into  the  city.  "  The  French  are  com- 
ing ! "  he  exclaimed,  panting  and  breathless.  "  I  have  hurried 


THE   CAPITULATION   OF  WILTAU.  197 

across  the  mountains  to  bring  you  the  news.  It  is  General 
Bisson  with  several  thousand  French  troops,  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Wreden  with  a  few  hundred  Bavarians.  We  had  a 
hard  fight  with  them  yesterday  at  the  bridge  of  Laditch  and 
in  the  Miihlbacher  Klause  ;  but  they  were  too  strong,  and 
were  joined  yesterday  by  another  French  column  ;  therefore, 
we  were  unable  to  capture  them,  and  had  to  let  them  march 
on.  We  killed  hundreds  of  their  soldiers  ;  but  several  thou- 
sands of  them  escaped,  and  are  coming  now  to  Innspruck." 

"They  will  not  come  to  Innspruck,  for  we  are  much 
stronger  than  they  are,  and  we  will  not  let  them  enter  the 
city,"  exclaimed  Speckbacher,  courageously. 

u  No,  we  will  not,  except  in  the  same  manner  in  which  you 
brought  the  cavalry  into  the  city  yesterday,  that  is,  to  imprison 
them  in  the  barracks,"  said  Major  Teimer. 

"  Yes,  yes,  we  will  do  so,"  shouted  the  Tyrolese  ;  "  we  will 
let  the  French  come  to  Innspruck,  but  only  as  our  prisoners." 

"  Well,  let  us  be  up  and  doing  now,  my  friends,"  exclaimed 
Speckbacher.  "  We  must  fortify  the  city  against  the  enemy. 
Having  gone  thus  far  yesterday,  we  cannot  retrace  our  steps 
to-day.  But  we  do  not  want  to  retrace  them,  do  we  ? " 

"  No,  we  do  not  !  "  cried  the  Tyrolese. 

"  We  have  raised  the  Austrian  eagle  again,"  said  Major 
Teimer,  "  and  the  portraits  of  the  emperor  and  our  dear  Arch- 
duke John  are  looking  down  upon  us  from  the  triumphal 
arch.  They  shall  see  that  we  are  good  soldiers  and  loyal  sons 
of  our  country.  Forward,  men,  let  us  be  up  and  doing  ! 
Barricade  the  city,  the  streets,  and  the  houses  ;  make  bullets, 
and  put  your  arms  in  readiness.  The  French  are  coming  ! 
Hurrah  !  Long  live  the  emperor  Francis  and  the  Archduke 
John  ! " 

Deafening  cheers  responded  to  him,  and  then  the  Tyrolese 
rushed  through  the  streets  to  barricade  the  city  in  accordance 
with  Teimer's  orders. 

The  gates  were  immediately  barricaded  with  casks,  wagons, 
carts,  and  every  thing  that  could  be  found  for  that  purpose  ; 
and  the  approaches  to  the  city  were  filled  with  armed  men, 
ready  to  give  the  enemy  a  warm  reception.  The  doors  of  the 
houses  were  locked  and  bolted,  and  frantic  women  within 


198  ANDREAS    HOFER. 

them  boiled  oil  and  water  which  they  intended  to  pour  on  the 
heads  of  the  soldiers  in  case  they  should  succeed  in  forcing 
their  way  into  the  city  ;  bullets  were  made  and  stones  wei-e 
carried  to  the  roofs,  whence  they  were  to  be  hurled  on  the 
enemy.  Meanwhile  the  tocsin  resounded  incessantly,  as  if  to 
invite  the  Tyrolese  to  redoubled  efforts  and  increased  vigi- 
lance. 

The  tocsin,  however,  had  aroused  not  only  the  Tyrolese, 
but  also  the  Bavarians  who  were  locked  up  in  the  barracks  ; 
the  prisoners  understood  full  well  what  the  bells  were  pro- 
claiming. To  the  Tyrolese  they  said  :  "  The  enemy,  your 
enemy,  is  approaching.  He  will  attack  you.  Be  on  your 
guard  ! "  To  the  prisoners  they  proclaimed  :  "  Your  friends 
are  approaching.  They  will  deliver  you.  Be  ready  for 
them  !  "  And  now  the  Bavarians  began  to  become  excited, 
their  eyes  flashed  again,  the  clouds  disappeared  from  their 
humiliated  brows;  and  with  loud,  scornful  cheers  and  fists 
clinched  menacingly,  they  stepped  before  their  Tyrolese  guards 
and  cried :  ''  Our  friends  are  coming.  They  will  deliver  us  and 
punish  you,  and  we  shall  wreak  bloody  vengeance  on  you  for 
the  disgrace  you  have  heaped  upon  us.  Hurrah,  our  friends 
are  coming  !  We  shall  soon  be  free  again  !  " 

"  No,  you  will  not,"  shouted  a  loud,  thundering  voice  ;  and 
in  the  middle  of  the  large  dormitory  occupied  by  the  Bava- 
rians appeared  suddenly  the  tall,  herculean  form  of  Joseph 
Speckbacher.  On  passing  the  barracks,  he  happened  to  hear 
the  cheers  of  the  prisoners  and  had  entered  in  order  to  learn 
what  was  the  matter.  "  No,"  he  said  once  more,  "  you  will 
not ;  you  must  not  suppose  that  we  shall  be  so  stupid  as  to 
allow  you  to  escape.  Do  not  rejoice  therefore  at  the  approach 
of  the  French  and  your  countrymen  ;  for  I  tell  you,  and  I 
swear  by  the  Holy  Mother  of  God,  if  the  French  should  enter 
the  city  victoriously,  our  last  step  before  evacuating  it  would 
be  to  kill  every  one  of  you.  Do  you  hear,  Tyrolese  guards  ? 
If  the  prisoners  do  not  keep  quiet,  if  they  make  any  noise,  or 
even  threaten  you,  shoot  down  the  ringleaders  !  But  if  the 
enemy  penetrates  into  the  city,  then  shoot  them  all,  and  do 
not  spare  a  single  one  of  them.*  We  will  not  incur  the  dis- 

*  Hormayr's  "  History  of  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  L,  p.  253. 


THE  CAPITULATION  OF  WILTAU.  199 

grace  of  re-enforcing  the  enemy  by  several  thousand  men. 
The  guards  at  all  doors  here  must  be  quadrupled,  and  at  the 
first  symptom  of  mischief  among  the  prisoners,  you  will  fire  at 
them.  Now  you  know,  Bavarians,  what  is  going  to  be  done. 
Beware,  therefore  ! " 

And  Joseph  Speckbacher  left  the  hall  with  a  proud  nod  of 
the  head.  The  listening  Bavarians  heard  him  repeating  his 
rigorous  instructions  to  the  sentinels  outside  ;  they  heard  also 
the  acclamations  with  which  the  Tyrolese  responded  to  him. 
The  prisoners,  therefore,  became  silent  ;  they  forced  back 
their  hopes  and  wishes  into  the  depths  of  their  hearts,  and 
only  prayed  inwardly  for  their  approaching  friends,  and 
cursed  in  the  same  manner  their  enemies,  the  ragged  mob  of 
the  peasants. 

The  tocsin  was  still  ringing,  and  its  sinister  notes  pene- 
trated likewise  into  the  large  guard-house,  and  spoke  to  the 
prisoners  confined  there.  One  of  these  prisoners  was  a 
gloomy,  broken-down  old  man,  General  Kinkel;  the  other 
was  a  youth,  mortally  wounded  and  violently  delirious.  It 
was  Colonel  Dittfurt.  The  bullet  of  the  Tyrolese  had  not 
killed  him  ;  he  still  lived,  a  prisoner  of  the  peasants,  and, 
amidst  his  delirium  and  his  agony,  he  was  fully  conscious  of 
his  disgrace.  This  consciousness  rendered  him  raving  mad  ; 
it  brought  words  of  wild  imprecation  to  his  cold,  bloodless 
lips  ;  he  howled  with  rage  and  pain  ;  he  called  down  the 
vengeance  of  Heaven  upon  "  the  ragged  mob,"  the  peasants, 
who  had  dared  to  lay  hands  upon  him,  the  proud,  aristocratic 
colonel,  and  rob  him  not  only  of  his  life,  but  also  of  his 
honor.  All  the  night  long  he  had  raved  in  this  manner  ; 
and  it  was  truly  horrible  to  hear  these  words,  full  of  con- 
tempt, hatred,  and  fury,  in  the  mouth  of  a  dying  man  ;  it 
was  dreadful  to  see  this  scarred  form  on  the  bloody  couch, 
writhing  in  the  convulsions  of  death,  and  yet  unable  to  die, 
because  anger  and  rage  revived  it  again  and  again.  At  day- 
break Major  Teimer  had  entered  the  guard-house  with  a 
detachment  of  Tyrolese;  and  while  he  repaired  with  some 
of  them  to  General  Kinkel,  the  other  Tyrolese  had  en- 
tered Colonel  Dittfurt's  room,  to  see  the  miracle  of  a 
man  whose  head  had  been  pierced  by  a  bullet  having  vi- 


200  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

tality  enough  left  to  rave,  swear,  and  curse,  for  twenty-four 
hours. 

Gradually  the  whole  room  became  crowded  with  Tyrolese, 
who  yesterday  had  been  the  mortal  foes  of  the  colonel,  but 
who  gazed  to-day  with  profound  compassion  and  conciliated 
hearts  at  the  poor,  mutilated  being  that  disdained  even  on  the 
brink  of  the  grave  to  consider  a  peasant  as  entitled  to  equal 
rights  and  as  a  brother  of  the  nobleman. 

Colonel  Dittfurt  lay  on  his  couch  with  his  eyes  distended 
to  their  utmost,  and  stared  at  the  Tyrolese  assembled  round 
him.  For  some  minutes  the  curses  and  invectives  had 
died  away  on  his  lips,  and  he  seemed  to  listen  attentively  to 
the  sinister  notes  of  the  alarm-bells  which  were  calling  inces- 
santly upon  the  Tyrolese  to  prepare  for  the  struggle. 

"  Is  that  my  death -knell  ? ''  he  asked  wearily.  u  Have  I, 
then,  died  already,  and  is  it  death  that  is  lying  so  heavily  on 
my  breast  ? " 

''  No,  sir,  you  still  live,"  said  one  of  the  Tyrolese,  in  a  low, 
gentle  voice.  "  You  still  live  ;  the  bells  you  hear  are  ringing 
the  tocsin  ;  they  aroused  us  because  the  French  and  Bava- 
rians are  advancing  upon  the  city." 

"The  Bavarians  are  coming!  Our  men  are  coming!" 
cried  Dittfurt  exultingly,  and  he  lifted  his  head  as  if  to  rise 
from  his  couch.  But  the  iron  hand  of  death  had  already 
touched  him  and  kept  him  enthralled.  His  head  sank  heavily 
back  upon  the  pillow,  and  his  eyes  became  more  lustreless 
and  fixed. 

"  They  vanquished  me,"  he  said,  after  a  pause  ;  "  I  know  I 
am  a  prisoner  of  the  peasants,  and  it  is  they  who  keep  me 
chained  to  this  couch  and  prevent  me  from  going  out  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  contest.  Oh,  oh,  how  it  grieves  me  !  A  prison- 
er of  the  peasants  !  But  they  fought  like  men,  and  their  lead- 
er must  be  an  able  and  brave  officer.  Who  was  the  leader  of 
the  peasants  ? " 

"  No  one,  sir,"  said  the  Tyrolese,  on  whom  the  dying  officer 
fixed  his  eyes.  ''  We  had  no  leader  ;  we  fought  equally  for 
God,  the  emperor,  and  our  native  country." 

"  No,  no,"  said  Dittfurt,  ''  that  is  false ;  I  know  better,  for  I 
saw  the  leader  of  the  peasants  pass  me  of  ten.  He  was  mounted 


THE   CAPITULATION   OF   WILTAU.  201 

on  a  white  horse  ;  his  face  was  as  radiant  as  heaven,  his  eyes 
twinkled  like  stars,  and  in  his  hand  he  held  a  sword  flashing 
like  a  sunbeam.  I  saw  the  leader  of  the  peasants,  he  always 
rode  at  their  head,  he  led  them  into  battle,  I — " 

He  paused,  the  expression  of  his  eyes  became  more  fixed, 
the  shades  of  death  descended  deeper  and  deeper  on  his  fore- 
head, which  was  covered  with  cold  perspiration. 

The  Tyrolese  minded  him  no  longer.  They  looked  at  each 
other  with  exultant  and  enthusiastic  glances.  "  He  saw  a 
leader  at  our  head  ? "  they  asked  each  other.  "  A  leader 
mounted  on  a  white  horse,  and  holding  in  his  hand  a  sword 
flashing  like  a  sunbeam  ?  It  must  have  been  St.  James,  the 
patron  of  the  city  of  Innspruck.  He  was  our  leader  yester- 
day. Yes,  yes,  that  is  it !  St  James  combated  at  our  head, 
unknown  to  us  ;  but  he  showed  himself  to  the  enemy  and  de- 
feated him.  Did  you  not  hear,  brethren,  what  the  pious 
priests  told  us  of  the  Spaniards  who  have  likewise  risen 
to  fight  against  Bonaparte,  the  enemy  of  the  Pope  and  all 
good  Christians  ?  St.  James  placed  himself  in  Spain  like- 
wise at  the  head  of  the  pious  peasants  ;  he  led  them  against 
Bonaparte  and  the  French,  and  made  them  victorious  over 
the  enemy,  who  was  bent  upon  stealing  their  country  and 
their  liberties.  And  since  St.  James  got  through  with  the 
Spaniards  in  Spain,  he  has  come  to  the  Tyrol  to  lend  us  his 
assistance.  St.  James,  our  patron  saint,  is  our  leader  !  He 
assists  us  and  combats  at  our  head  !  " 

And  the  Tyrolese,  regardless  of  the  colonel,  who  at  this 
moment  was  writhing  in  the  last  convulsions  of  death,  rushed 
out  of  the  room  to  communicate  the  miracle  to  their  brethren 
outside.  The  news  spread  like  wildfire  from  house  to  house, 
from  street  to  street ;  all  shouted  joyously :  "  St.  James,  our 
patron  saint,  is  our  leader.  He  assists  us  and  combats  at  our 
head  !"* 

And  this  belief  enhanced  the  enthusiasm  of  the  Tyrolese, 
and  with  the  most  intrepid  courage  they  looked  upon  the 
enemy,  who  had  by  this  time  come  close  up  to  the  city,  and 
was  forming  in  line  of  battle  on  the  plain  adjoining  the  vil- 
lage of  Wiltau.  From  the  houses  in  the  neighborhood  of 

*  "  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  41. 
14 


202  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

the  triumphal  arch  the  Tyrolese  were  ahle  to  survey  the 
whole  position  of  the  enemy  ;  they  could  discern  even  the 
various  uniforms  of  the  French  and  Bavarian  soldiers.  Up 
yonder,  on  the  roof  of  a  house,  stood  Speckbacher  and  Teimer, 
and  with  their  eyes,  which  were  as  keen  and  flashing  as  those 
of  the  eagle,  they  gazed  searchingly  upon  the  position  of  the 
enemy  and  that  of  their  own  forces.  The  line  from  the  vil- 
lage of  Wiltau  down  to  the  river  Sill  was  occupied  by  the 
French  troops  under  General  Bisson  ;  on  the  right  side  of 
Wiltau  to  the  Inn  stood  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wreden  with  the 
Bavarians,  his  front  turned  toward  the  city. 

"Now  we  must  surround  them  as  in  a  mouse-trap,  and 
leave  them  no  outlet  for  escape,"  said  Major  Teimer,  with  a 
shrewd  wink.  "  Is  not  that  your  opinion  too,  Speckbacher  ?" 

"  Certainly  it  is."  replied  Speckbacher.  ''  Mount  Isel  yon- 
der, in  the  rear  of  the  Bavarians,  must  be  occupied  by  several 
thousands  of  our  best  sharpshooters,  and  a  cloud  of  our  peas- 
ants must  constantly  harass  their  rear  and  drive  them  toward 
Innspruck.  Here  we  will  receive  them  in  fine  style,  and 
chase  them  until  they  are  all  dead  or  lay  down  their  arms. 
The  only  important  thing  for  us  is  to  cut  off  their  retreat  and 
keep  them  between  two  fires." 

"You  are  right,  Speckbacher;  you  are  a  skilful  soldier, 
and  are  better  able  to  be  a  general  than  many  an  officer — for 
instance,  General  Kinkel.  Kinkel  is  an  old  woman  ;  he  wept 
and  swore  in  one  breath  when  I  was  with  him  just  now  :  he 
says  all  the  time  that  he  will  commit  suicide,  and  j-et  he  is  not 
courageous  enough  to  do  it,  but  preferred  to  comply  with  my 
demands." 

"  And  what  were  your  demands,  Teimer  ? " 

"I  demanded  that  he  should  give  me  an  open  letter  to  Gen- 
eral Bisson,  urging  him  to  send  some  confidential  person  into 
the  town  who  might  report  the  state  of  affairs,  and  convince 
him  of  the  immense  superiority  and  enthusiasm  of  the  Tyro- 
lese,  and  of  the  impossibility  of  defeating  us  or  forcing  his  way 
through  our  ranks." 

"  And  did  old  General  Kinkel  give  you  such  a  letter  ? " 

"  He  did,  and  I  will  send  it  out  now  to  the  French  camp. 
We  must  make  all  necessary  dispositions,  that  when  the  gen- 


THE  CAPITULATION   OF  WILTAU.  203 

eral  sends  a  confidential  envoy  into  the  town  he  may  become 
fully  alive  to  the  fact  that  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  defeat 
us.  Above  all  things,  we  must  send  several  thousand  sharp- 
shooters to  Mount  Isel  and  the  adjoining  heights,  in  order  to 
cut  off  the  enemy's  retreat." 

The  letter  which  Major  Teimer  had  extorted  from  General 
Kinkel  had  really  the  effect  which  he  had  expected  from  it. 
General  Bisson  sent  to  Innspruck  one  of  his  staff-officers, 
accompanied  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  von  Wreden,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Bavarians.  A  few  other  officers  followed  these 
two,  and  repaired  with  them  to  Major  Teimer,  who  received 
them  at  the  principal  guard-house  in  the  presence  of  the  most 
prominent  Tyrolese. 

Meanwhile  General  Bisson  awaited  with  painful  impatience 
the  return  of  the  two  ambassadors  whom  he  had  sent  into  the 
town  ;  and,  his  eyes  constantly  fixed  on  Innspruck,  he  walked 
uneasily  up  an>'  down.  But  already  upward  of  an  hour  had 
elapsed,  and  the  ambassadors  had  not  yet  made  their  appear- 
ance. He  had  good  reason  to  be  uneasy  and  anxious,  for  the 
situation  of  the  French  and  Bavarians  was  now  almost  des- 
perate. He  had  found  out  at  the  bridge  of  the  Eisach,  on  the 
plain  of  the  Sterzinger  Moos,  and  at  the  Muhlbacher  Klause, 
that  the  French  had  to  deal  with  an  enemy  who  was  terribly 
in  earnest ;  that  the  whole  Tyrol  was  in  insurrection  ;  that 
Chasteler,  with  a  body  of  armed  peasants,  as  well  as  a  few 
regular  troops,  was  descending  the  Brenner,  and  already 
menacing  his  rear  ;  while  the  rocks  and  thickets  in  his  front 
and  flanks  were  bristling  with  the  peasants  of  the  Innthal, 
who,  in  great  strength,  obstructed  his  advance. 

"We  shall  die  here,  for  we  are  hemmed  in  on  all  sides," 
said  General  Bisson,  gloomily,  to  himself.  "  There  is  no  hope 
left,  and  in  the  end  we  may  be  obliged  to  submit  to  the  dis- 
grace of  surrendering  to  the  mob  of  peasants.  But  what  on 
earth  prevents  the  officers  from  returning  to  me  ? " 

And  Bisson  turned  his  searching  eyes  again  toward  Inn- 
spruck. Now  he  perceived  two  men  approaching  at  a  run. 
He  recognized  them  ;  they  were  the  companions  of  his  staff- 
officer  and  lieutenant-colonel,  Von  Wreden,  and  their  pale, 
dismayed  faces  told  him  that  they  were  bearers  of  bad  tidings. 


204  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"Where  are  the  two  gentlemen  whom  I  sent  to  Inn- 
spruck  ? "  he  asked,  advancing  rapidly  toward  them. 

"  They  were  taken  into  custody  at  Innspruck,"  faltered  out 
one  of  them. 

"  Major  Teimer  said  he  had  taken  upon  himself  no  obliga- 
tion in  regard  to  these  officers,  and  would  retain  them  as 
hostages,"  panted  the  other.  "  He  then  caused  us  to  he  con- 
ducted through  the  whole  city,  that  we  might  satisfy  ourselves 
of  the  tremendous  strength  of  the  Tyrolese  and  their  for- 
midable preparations.  Oh,  your  excellency,  the  peasants  are 
much  superior  to  us  in  strength,  for  there  are  at  least  twenty 
thousand  able-bodied  men  in  their  ranks ;  they  are  well 
armed,  and  the  most  celebrated  marksmen  and  the  most  dar- 
ing leaders  of  the  Tyrol  are  among  them/' 

"Bah  !  it  would  make  no  difference,  even  though  they 
were  ten  to  one ! "  cried  General  Bissou  ;  "  for  ten  peasants 
cannot  have  as  much  courage  as  one  soldier  of  the  grand  army 
of  my  glorious  emperor.  We  will  prove  to  them  that  we  are 
not  afraid  of  them.  We  will  attack  them.  A  detachment  of 
Tyrolese  yonder  has  ventured  to  leave  the  city.  Fire  at  them ! 
Shoot  them  down  until  not  one  of  them  is  left ! " 

The  shots  crashed,  the  artillery  boomed,  but  not  a  Tyrolese 
had  fallen  ;  they  had  thrown  themselves  on  the  ground,  so 
that  the  bullets  and  balls  had  whistled  harmlessly  over  their 
heads.  But  now  they  jumped  up  and  responded  to  the  shots 
of  the  enemy  ;  and  not  one  of  their  bullets  missed  its  aim,  but 
all  carried  death  into  the  ranks  of  the  French.  At  the  same 
time  the  sharpshooters  posted  on  Mount  Isel,  in  the  rear  of  the 
French  and  Bavarians,  commenced  firing,  and  mowed  down 
whole  ranks  of  the  soldiers. 

General  Bisson  turned  in  dismay  toward  this  new  enemy, 
covered  by  the  thicket,  which,  rising  almost  to  the  summit  of 
Mount  Isel,  made  the  Tyrolese  invisible,  and  protected  them 
from  the  missiles  of  the  soldiers. 

"  We  are  between  two  fires,"  he  murmured  to  himself,  in 
dismay.  "  We  are  caught,  as  it  were,  in  a  net,  and  will  be 
annihilated  to  the  last  man." 

And  this  conviction  seized  all  the  soldiers,  as  was  plainly 
to  be  seen  from  their  pale  faces  and  terror-stricken  looks. 


THE   CAPITULATION   OF   WILTAU.  205 

There  was  a  sudden  lull  in  the  fire  of  the  Tyrolese,  which 
had  already  struck  down  several  hundred  French  soldiers, 
and  from  the  triumphal  arch  of  Innspruck  issued  several 
men,  waving  white  handkerchiefs,  and  advancing  directly 
toward  the  French.  It  was  Major  Teimer,  accompanied  by 
some  officers  and  citizens  of  Innspruck.  He  sent  one  of  them 
to  General  Bisson  to  invite  him  to  an  interview  to  be  held  on 
the  public  square  of  the  village  of  Wiltau. 

General  Bisson  accepted  the  invitation,  and  repaired  with 
his  staff  and  some  Bavarian  officers  to  the  designated  place. 

Major  Teimer  and  his  companions  were  already  there. 
Teimer  received  the  general  and  his  distinguished  compan- 
ions with  a  proud,  condescending  nod. 

"  General,"  he  said,  without  waiting  for  the  eminent  officer 
to  address  him,  "  I  have  come  here  to  ask  you  to  surrender, 
and  order  your  soldiers  to  lay  down  their  arms." 

General  Bisson  looked  with  a  smile  of  amazement  at  the 
peasant  who  dared  to  address  to  him  so  unheard-of  a  demand 
with  so  much  calmness  and  composure. 

"  My  dear  sir,"  he  said,  "  I  am  convinced  that  you  are  not 
in  earnest,  but  know  full  well  that  we  never  can  or  will  com- 
ply with  such  a  demand.  Moreover,  our  situation  does  not  by 
any  means  compel  us  to  allow  conditions  to  be  dictated  to  us. 
Nevertheless,  I  am  ready  to  make  some  concessions  to  you. 
Hence,  I  will  pledge  you  my  word  of  honor  that  I  will  neither 
attack  you,  nor  injure  the  city  of  Innspruck  in  the  least.  But 
in  return  I  demand  that  you  allow  us  to  pass  without  molesta- 
tation  through  Innspruck,  that  we  may  march  to  Augsburg  in 
obedience  to  the  orders  of  my  emperor." 

"  And  you  believe  we  can  be  so  stupid  as  to  grant  this  de- 
mand, general  ? "  asked  Teimer,  shrugging  his  shoulders.  "  I 
do  not  want  to  be  beaten  down,  but  stick  to  my  first  demand. 
Either  you  order  your  troops  to  lay  down  their  arms,  or  you 
will  all  be  put  to  the  sword." 

.  "  No,  so  .help  me  God  !  never  will  I  accept  so  arrogant  a 
demand,"  cried  the  general,  indignantly  ;  "  never  will  I  incur 
the  disgrace  of  signing  so  ignominious  a  capitulation." 

"  Then,  general,  you  will  appear  this  very  day  before  the 
throne  of  God  to  account  for  the  lives  of  the  thousands  whom 


206  ANDREAS  HOFEK. 

you  devote  to  an  unnecessary  death.  For  all  of  you  will  and 
must  die  ;  there  is  no  escape  for  you.  You  know  it  full  well, 
general,  for  otherwise  you,  the  proud  general  of  Monsieur 
Bonaparte,  and  commander  of  several  thousand  splendid 
French  soldiers,  would  not  have  come  to  negotiate  here  with 
the  leader  of  the  peasants,  who  knows  nothing  of  tactics  and 
strategy.  You  know  that  there  are  enemies  both  in  your  front 
and  rear.  Our  men  occupy  Mount  Isel,  and  the  whole  country 
back  of  Mount  Isel  is  in  insurrection.  You  cannot  retrace 
your  steps,  nor  can  you  advance,  for  you  will  never  get  to 
Innspruck,  and  there  is  no  other  road  to  Augsburg.  We  have 
barricaded  the  city,  and  have  nearly  twenty  thousand  men  in 
and  around  Innspruck." 

•'  But  I  pledged  you  my  word  that  I  would  not  attack  you, 
nor  take  any  hostile  steps  whatever.  All  I  want  is  to  march 
peaceably  through  the  city  ;  and,  in  order  to  convince  you  of 
my  pacific  intentions,  I  promise  to  continue  my  march  with 
flints  unscrewed  from  our  muskets,  and  without  ammunition." 

"  I  do  not  accept  your  promises,  they  are  not  sufficient,"  said 
Teimer,  coldly. 

"  Well,  then,"  cried  General  Bisson,  in  a  tremulous  voice, 
"  hear  my  last  words.  I  will  march  on  with  my  troops  with- 
out arms  ;  our  arms  and  ammunition  may  he  sent  after  us  on 
wagons." 

"If  that  is  your  last  word,  general,  our  negotiations  are  at 
an  end,"  replied  Teimer,  with  perfect  sang-froid.  "  You  have 
rejected  my  well-meaning  solicitude  for  your  safety  ;  nothing 
remains  for  me  now  but  to  surrender  you  and  your  troops  to 
the  tender  mercies  of  our  infuriated  people.  Farewell, 
general." 

He  turned  his  back  on  him  and  advanced  several  steps  to- 
ward Innspruck.  At  the  same  time  he  waved  his  arm  three 
times.  Immediately,  as  had  been  agreed  upon,  the  Tyrolese 
on  Mount  Isel,  and  in  front  of  Innspruck,  commenced  firing, 
and  their  close  discharges,  admirably  directed,  thinned  the 
ranks  of  the  French  grenadiers,  while  the  shouts  with  which 
the  mountains  resounded  on  all  sides  were  so  tremendous  that 
they  were  completely  panic-struck. 

General  Bisson  saw  it,  and  a  deadly  pallor  overspread  his 


THE   CAPITULATION   OF   WILTAU.  207 

face.  Teimer  stood  still  and  gazed  sneeringly  at  the  disheart- 
ened and  terrified  soldiers,  and  then  glanced  at  their  general. 

Bisson  caught  this  glance.  "  Sir,"  he  cried,  and  his  cry  re- 
sembled almost  an  outburst  of  despair,  "  pray  return  to  me. 
Let  us  negotiate  !  " 

Teimer  did  not  approach  him,  he  only  stood  still.  "  Come 
to  me,  if  you  have  any  thing  to  say  to  me,"  he  shouted  ; 
"  come,  and — " 

The  rattle  of  musketry,  and  the  furious  shouts  of  the  Tyro- 
lese,  now  pouring  down  from  all  the  mountains,  and  advanc- 
ing upon  the  French,  drowned  his  voice. 

To  render  his  words  intelligible  to  Teimer,  and  to  hear  his 
replies,  General  Bisson  was  obliged  to  approach  him,  and  he 
stepped  up  to  him  with  his  staff-officers  in  greater  haste  per- 
haps than  was  compatible  with  his  dignity. 

"  What  else  do  you  demand  ? "  he  asked,  in  a  tremulous 
voice. 

"  What  I  demanded  at  the  outset,"  said  Teimer,  firmly.  "  I 
want  your  troops  to  lay  down  their  arms  and  surrender  to  the 
Tyrolese.  I  have  already  drawn  up  a  capitulation  ;  it  is  only 
necessary  for  you  and  your  officers  to  sign  it.  The  capitula- 
tion is  brief  and  to  the  point,  general.  It  consists  only  of 
four  paragraphs.  But  just  listen  to  the  shouts  and  cheers 
of  my  dear  Tyrolese,  and  see  what  excellent  marksmen  they 
are!" 

Indeed,  the  bullets  of  the  Tyrolese  whistled  again  at  this 
moment  through  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  and  every  bullet  hit 
its  man.  Loud  shouts  of  despair  burst  from  the  ranks  of  the 
French  and  Bavarians,  who  were  in  the  wildest  confusion,  and 
did  not  even  dare  to  flee,  because  they  knew  full  well  that 
they  were  hemmed  in  on  all  sides. " 

General  Bisson  perceived  the  despair  of  his  troops,  and  a 
groan  escaped  from  his  breast.  "  Read  the  capitulation  to  me, 
sir,''  he  said,  drying  the  cold  perspiration  on  his  forehead. 

Teimer  drew  a  paper  from  his  bosom  and  unfolded  it.  He 
then  commenced  reading,  in  a  loud,  ringing  voice,  which 
drowned  even  the  rattle  of  musketry  : 

"  In  the  name  of  his  majesty  the  Emperor  Francis  I.  of  Aus- 
tria, a  capitulation  is  entered  into  at  this  moment  with  the 


208  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

French  and  Bavarian  troops  which  advanced  to-day  from 
Steinach  to  Wiltau  ;  the  following  terms  were  accepted  : 

"  First.  The  French  and  Bavarian  soldiers  lay  down  their 
arms  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  them. 

*'  Secondly.  The  members  of  the  whole  eighth  corps  are 
prisoners  of  war  ;  and  will  be  delivered  as  such  to  the  Aus- 
trian troops  at  Schwatz,  whither  they  will  be  conveyed  imme- 
diately. 

Thirdly.  The  Tyrolese  patriots  in  the  custody  of  these 
troops  will  be  released  on  the  spot. 

Fourthly.  The  field  and  staff-officers  of  the  French  and 
Bavarian  troops  will  retain  their  baggage,  horses,  and  side- 
arms,  and  their  property  will  be  respected." 

"  You  see,  sir,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  sign  this,"  cried 
General  Bisson.  "  You  cannot  expect  me  to  subscribe  my  own 
disgrace." 

''  If  you  refuse  to  subscribe  the  capitulation,  you  sign  there- 
by not  only  your  own  death-warrant,  but  that  of  all  your  sol- 
diers," said  Teimer  calmly.  "  See,  general,  here  is  fortunately 
a  table,  for  this  is  the  place  where  the  people  of  Wiltau  assem- 
ble on  Sundays,  and  dance  and  drink.  Fate  placed  this  table 
here  for  us  that  we  might  use  it  for  signing  the  capitulation. 
There  is  the  capitulation  ;  I  have  already  affixed  to  it  my 
name  and  title  as  commissioner  of  the  Emperor  Francis.  I 
have  also  brought  pen  and  ink  with  me,  that  you  might  have 
no  trouble  in  signing  the  document.  Subscribe  it,  therefore, 
general,  and  let  your  staff -officers  do  so  too.  Spare  the  lives 
of  your  poor  soldiers,  for  you  see  every  minute's  delay  costs 
you  additional  losses." 

"  I  cannot  sign  it,  I  cannot  ! "  cried  Bisson,  despairing- 
ly. He  burst  into  tears,  and  in  his  boundless  grief  he  struck 
his  forehead  with  his  fist  and  tore  out  his  thin  gray  hair 
with  his  trembling  hands.  *  "I  cannot  sign  it,"  he  wailed 
loudly. 

"Sign  it,"  cried  his  officers,  thronging  round  the  table. 
"  You  must  refuse  no  longer,  for  the  lives  of  all  our  soldiers 
are  at  stake." 

"  But  my  honor  and  good  name  are  likewise  at  stake," 

*  Honnayr's  "  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  L,  p.  257. 


THE   CAPITULATION   OF  WILTAU.  209 

groaned  Bisson,  "  and  if  I  sign  the  capitulation,  I  shall  lose 
both  forever." 

"  But  you  will  thereby  preserve  to  the  emperor  the  lives  of 
upward  of  three  thousand  of  his  soldiers,"  exclaimed  the  of- 
ficers, urgently. 

"  Never  will  the  emperor  believe  that  this  disaster  might 
not  have  been  averted,"  wailed  General  Bisson.  "  Even  were 
I  merely  unfortunate,  he  would  impute  it  to  me  as  a  crime. 
He  will  forgive  me  no  more  than  Villeneuve  and  Dupont. 
His  anger  is  inexorable,  and  it  will  crush  me." 

"  Then  let  it  crush  you,  general,''  said  Teimer,  calmly.  w  It 
is  better  that  you  should  be  crushed  than  that  several  thou- 
sand men  should  now  be  crushed  by  the  Tyrolese." 

"  Sign,  sign  !  "  cried  the  French  officers,  stepping  close  up 
to  the  table,  taking  up  the  pen,  and  presenting  it  to  the  gen- 
eral. 

"  Then  you  are  all  determined  to  sign  the  capitulation  after 
I  have  done  so  ? "  asked  General  Bisson,  still  hesitating. 

"  We  are,"  cried  the  officers. 

"We  are  ready  to  do  so,"  said  Major  Armance,  "and  in 
proof  hereof  I  affix  my  name  to  the  capitulation  before  you 
have  signed  it,  general." 

He  subscribed  the  paper  with  a  quick  but  steady  hand. 
Another  staff-officer  stepped  up,  took  the  pen,  and  also  wrote 
his  name,  "Varin." 

"  Now,  general,"  he  said,  presenting  the  pen  to  Bisson. 

The  general  took  the  pen,  cast  a  last  despairing  glance  to- 
ward heaven  and  then  toward  his  soldiers,  bent  over  the  pa- 
per, and  signed  it. 

The  pen  dropped  from  his  hand,  and  he  had  to  lean  against 
the  table  in  order  not  to  sink  to  the  ground.  Major  Teimer 
drew  a  white  handkerchief  from  his  pocket  and  waved  it  in 
the  air.  The  Tyrolese  ceased  firing  immediately,  and  deafen- 
ing cheers  burst  forth  on  all  sides. 

"  You  see,  general,  you  have  saved  the  lives  of  your  sol- 
diers," said  Teimer. 

Bisson  only  sighed,  and  turned  to  his  officers.  "  Now,  gen- 
tlemen," he  faltered  out,  "give  orders  to  the  troops  to  lay 
down  their  arms  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  them." 


210  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

The  officers  hastened  away,  and  General  Bisson  started  to 
leave  likewise,  when  Teimer  quickly  laid  his  hand  on  his  arm 
and  detained  him. 

''General."  he  said,  "pray  issue  still  another  order." 

"  What  order,  sir  ? " 

"  You  have  of  course  brought  your  carriage  with  you ;  order 
your  coachman  to  drive  up  with  it,  and  permit  me  and  these 
gentlemen  here  to  enter  it  with  you,  and  ride  to  Innspruck." 

"  That  is  to  say,  I  am  your  prisoner,  and  you  wish  to  make 
your  triumphal  entrance  into  the  city  with  me  ? " 

"  That  is  about  my  intention.  I  should  like  to  return  to 
the  city  seated  by  your  side  ;  and  as  the  good  inhabitants  of 
Innspruck  are  very  anxious  to  see  a  French  general,  one  of 
Bonaparte's  generals,  who  does  not  come  with  his  troops  to 
devastate  the  city,  to  rob  and  plunder,  I  request  you  to  let  us 
make  our  entrance  in  an  open,  uncovered  carriage." 

"  We  will  do  so,''  said  Bisson,  casting  a  sombre  glance  on 
Teimer's  shrewd  face.  "  You  are  merciless  to-day,  sir.  What 
is  your  name  ? " 

"  My  name  is  Martin  Teimer  ;  I  hold  the  rank  of  major  in 
the  Austrian  army,  and  Archduke  John  has  appointed  me 
commissioner  for  the  Tyrol." 

"  Ah,  one  of  the  two  commissioners  who  signed  the  '  open 
order,'  with  which  the  country  was  instigated  to  rise  in  insur- 
rection ? " 

"Yes,  general." 

"And  Andreas  Hofer,  the  Barbone,  is  the  other  commis- 
sioner, is  he  not  ?  I  will  remember  it  in  case  we  should  meet 
again." 

k'  You  will  then  take  your  revenge  ;  that  is  quite  natural. 
But  to-day  we  take  our  revenge  for  the  long  oppressions  and 
insults  which  we  have  endured  at  the  hands  of  the  French. 
Come,  general,  let  us  ride  to  Tnnspruck." " 

An  hour  afterward  a  long  and  brilliant  procession  moved 
through  the  triumphal  arch.  It  was  headed  by  the  band  of 
the  captured  Bavarian  regiment,  which  had  to  play  to  glorify 
its  own  disgrace  to-day;  next  came  an  open  carriage  in  which 
Martin  Teimer  sat  with  a  radiant  face,  and  by  his  side  Gen- 
eral Bisson,  pale,  and  hanging  his  head.  In  another  carriage 


THE  CAPITULATION   OF  WILTAU.  211 

followed  the  staff-officers,  escorted  by  the  municipal  authori- 
ties and  clergy  of  Innspruck,  and  afterward  appeared  the 
whole  enormous  force  of  the  Tyrolese  conducting  the  dis- 
armed prisoners  in  their  midst.* 

All  Innspruck  had  put  on  its  holiday  attire  ;  at  all  the 
windows  were  to  be  seen  gayly-dressed  ladies  and  rejoicing 
girls,  holding  in  their  hands  wreaths,  which  they  threw  down 
on  the  victors.  The  bells  of  all  the  churches  were  ringing, 
not  the  tocsin,  but  peals  of  joy  and  thanksgiving. 

For  the  task  was  accomplished,  the  Tyrol  was  free  !  In 
three  days  after  the  insurrection  broke  out,  the  Tyrolese,  by 
means  solely  of  their  own  valor  and  patriotism,  aided  by  the 
natural  strength  of  the  country,  had  entirely  delivered  the 
province  from  the  enemy.  The  capitulation  of  Wiltau 
crowned  the  work  of  deliverance,  to  the  everlasting  glory  of 
the  brave  Martin  Teimer,  and  to  the  disgrace  of  General  Bis- 
son  and  the  French  and  Bavarians. t 

There  were  great  rejoicings  in  Innspruck  all  the  day  long; 
glad  faces  were  to  be  met  with  everywhere,  and  all  shouted 
enthusiastically  :  "  We  have  become  Austrians  again  !  We 
are  subjects  of  the  Emperor  of  Austria  again  !  Long  live  the 
free  Tyrol  !  Long  live  the  Emperor  Francis  ! " 

The  streets  presented  a  very  lively  appearance;  all  the 
painters  of  the  city  were  occupied  in  removing  the  hateful  Ba- 
varian colors,  blue  and  white,  from  the  signs  and  houses,  and 
putting  on  them  the  Austrian,  black  and  gold;  and  the  Tyro- 
lese marksmen  held  a  regular  target-shooting  at  the  Bavarian 
lion,  which,  to  the  great  disgust  of  the  Tyrolese,  had  been 
raised  four  years  ago  over  the  entrance  of  the  imperial  pal- 
ace. Prizes  were  awarded  for  every  piece  which  was  shot 
from  it,  and  the  principal  reward  was  granted  to  him  who 
pierced  the  crown  of  the  lion. 

Yes,  the  northern  Tyrol  was  free ;  but  the  South,  the  Ital- 
ian Tyrol,  was  groaning  yet  under  the  yoke  of  French  oppres- 
sion, and  Andreas  Hofer  intended  to  march  thither  with  his 

*  Hormayr's  "  Life  of  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  L,  p.  259. 

t  Major  Teimer  was  rewarded  for  this  capitulation  of  Wiltau  with  the 
title  of  Baron  von  Wiltau,  and  with  the  order  of  Maria  Theresa.  The  Em- 
peror of  Austria,  besides,  presented  him  with  valuable  estates  in  Styria. 


212  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

forces,  as  he  had  concerted  at  Vienna  with  the  Archduke 
John  and  Hormayr,  in  order  to  bring  to  the  Italian  Tyrolese 
the  liberty  which  the  German  Tyrolese  had  already  con- 
quered. 

Hence  Andreas  Hofer,  though  his  heart  yearned  for  it.  had 
refrained  from  making  his  solemn  entrance  into  Innspruck, 
and  had  gone  on  the  17th  of  April  to  Meran,  where  he  was  to 
review  the  Landsturm  of  that  town  and  its  environs,  the 
brave  men  who  were  to  accompany  him  on  his  expedition  to 
the  Italian  Tyrol. 

The  Tyrolese  were  drawn  up  in  four  lines ;  at  their  head 
was  to  be  seen  Hormayr,  surrounded  by  the  priests  and  civil 
officers  who  had  been  exiled  by  the  Bavarians,  and  who  were 
returning  now  with  him  and  the  Austrian  army. 

A  cloud  of  dust  arose  from  the  neighboring  gorges  of  the 
Passeyr  valley,  and  a  joyous  murmur  ran  through  the  ranks 
of  the  Tyrolese.  Deafening  cheers  rent  the  air  then,  for  An- 
dreas Hofer  galloped  up  on  a  fine  charger,  followed  by  the 
men  of  the  Passeyr  valley.  His  face  glowed,  his  eyes  beamed 
with  delight,  and  his  whole  bearing  breathed  unbounded  sat- 
isfaction and  happiness. 

He  shook  hands  with  Hormayr,  laughing  merrily.  "  We 
have  kept,"  he  exclaimed,  "  the  promises  we  made  at  Vienna, 
have  we  not  ?  And  our  dear  Archduke  John,  I  suppose,  will 
be  content  with  us  ? " 

"  He  sends  the  best  greetings  of  his  love  to  his  dear  An- 
dreas Hofer,"  said  Hormayr,  "  and  thanks  him  for  all  he  has 
done  here." 

"He  thanks  me?"  asked  Hofer,  in  surprise.  "We  have 
done  only  what  our  hearts  longed  for,  and  fulfilled  our  own 
wishes.  We  wished  to  become  Austrians  again,  for  Austrians 
means  Germans  ;  we  wanted  no  longer  to  be  Bavarians,  for 
Bavarians  meant  French  ;  hence,  we  were  anxious  to  rid  our 
mountains  of  the  disgrace  and  make  our  country  again  free 
and  a  province  of  Germany.  We  have  succeeded  in  doing  so, 
for  the  good  God  blessed  our  efforts  and  helped  us  in  our  sore 
distress.  Now  we  are  once  more  the  faithful  children  of  our 
dear  emperor,  and  the  dear  Archduke  John  will  come  to  us 
and  stay  with  us  as  governor  of  the  Tyrol." 


THE  CAPITULATION  OF  WILTAU.  213 

"  He  certainly  will,  and  I  know  that  he  longs  to  live  again 
in  the  midst  of  his  faithful  Tyrolese.  But  for  this  reason, 
Andy,  we  must  help  him  that  he  may  soon  come  to  us,  and 
aid  him  in  delivering  the  Southern  Tyrol.  I  have  great  news 
for  you,  Andy,  from  the  Archduke  John.  I  wished  to  com- 
municate it  to  you  first  of  all.  No  one  was  to  hear  of  it  previ- 
ous to  you." 

"  I  hope  it  is  good  news,  Baron  von  Hormayr,  said  Andreas 
Hofer,  anxiously.  "  The  dear  archduke,  I  trust,  has  not  met 
with  a  disaster  ?  Tell  me  quick,  for  my  heart  throbs  as  though 
one  of  my  dear  children  were  in  imminent  peril." 

"  You  yourself  are  a  child,  Andy.  Do  you  suppose  I  should 
look  so  cheerful  if  our  dear  archduke  had  met  with  a  disaster  ? 
And  even  though  such  were  the  case,  would  I  then  be  so  stu- 
pid as  to  inform  you  of  it  now,  at  this  joyful  hour,  when  it  is 
all-important  that  we  should  be  in  high  spirits  ?  No,  Andy,  I 
bring  splendid  news.  The  Archduke  John  achieved  yester- 
day a  glorious  victory  at  Sacile  over  the  Viceroy  of  Italy,  Eu- 
gene Beauharnais  ;  it  was  a  great  triumph,  for  he  took  eight 
thousand  prisoners,  and  captured  a  great  many  guns.  But 
amidst  this  triumph  he  thought  of  his  dear  Tyrolese,  and  dis- 
patched from  the  battle-field  a  courier  who  was  to  bring  to  me 
the  news  and  his  order  to  tell  his  dear  Tyrolese  that  he  de- 
feated the  French  yesterday." 

Andreas  Hofer,  overjoyed  and  with  his  countenance  full  of 
sunshine  and  happiness,  galloped  down  the  long  line  of  his 
sharpshooters. 

"  Hurrah  !  my  dear  friends  and  brethren,"  he  shouted, 
"  the  Archduke  John  sends  his  greetings  to  you,  and  informs 
you  that  he  defeated  the  French  yesterday  at  Sacile  and  took 
eight  thousand  prisoners  and  a  great  many  guns.  Hurrah  ! 
long  live  the  Archduke  John,  the  future  governor  of  the 
Tyrol ! " 

And  the  Tyrolese  repeated,  with  deafening  cheers  :  "  Hur- 
rah !  long  live  the  Archduke  John,  the  future  governor  of  the 
Tyrol  I " 

"  And  I  have  to  bring  you  still  another  greeting  from  the 
Archduke  John,"  shouted  Baron  von  Hormayr.  "But  you 
shall  not  hear  it  here  in  the  plain,  but  up  at  the  ancient  castle 


ANDREAS    HOFEK. 

of  Tyrol.  It  is  true,  the  Bavarians  and  the  miserable  French 
have  destroyed  the  fine  castle,  but  the  ruins  of  the  ancient 
seat  of  our  princes  remain  to  us.  We  will  now  ascend  to 
those  ruins,  and  up  there  you  shall  hear  the  message  which 
the  Archduke  John  sends  to  you." 

The  whole  force  of  the  Tyrolese  thereupon  moved  up  the 
mountain-path  leading  to  the  castle  of  Tyrol,  headed  by  An- 
dreas Hofer  and  Baron  von  Hormayr. 

On  reaching  the  crest  of  the  hill,  Hofer  stopped  and 
alighted  from  his  horse.  He  knelt  down  amidst  the  ruins  of 
the  castle  with  a  solemn,  deeply-moved  face,  and  holding  the 
crucifix  on  his  breast  between  his  hands,  and  lifting  his  eyes 
to  heaven,  he  exclaimed  with  fervent  devotion  :  '•  Thanks, 
Lord  God,  thanks  for  the  aid  that  thou  hast  hitherto  vouch- 
safed to  us  !  Thanks  for  delivering  the  country  and  permit- 
ting us  to  be  Austrians  again  !  O  God,  grant  now  stability  to 
our  work — and  preserve  it  from  falling  to  ruin  !  If  Thou  art 
content  with  me,  let  me  further  serve  and  be  useful  to  my  na- 
tive country  !  I  am  but  a  weak  instrument  in  Thy  hand,  my 
God,  but  Thou  hast  used  it,  and  I  pray  Thee  not  to  cast  it  aside 
now,  but  impart  to  it  strength  and  durability,  that  it  may 
last  until  the  enemy  has  been  driven  from  the  country,  and 
the  whole  Tyrol  is  free  again  for  evermore  !  I  kiss  the  dear 
soil  where  our  princes  walked  in  former  times,  and  where  they 
swore  to  their  Tyrolese  that  they  should  be  freemen,  and 
that  their  free  constitution  should  be  sacred  for  all  time  to 
come  ! " 

He  bent  down,  kissed  the  moss-grown  stones,  and  encircled 
them  tenderly  with  his  arms  as  though  they  were  an  altar 
before  which  he  was  uttering  devout  vows  and  prayers.  The 
Tyrolese,  who  had  gradually  reached  the  summit,  had  si- 
lently knelt  down  behind  Andreas  Hofer,  and  were  praying 
like  him. 

One  sentiment  animated  them  all  and  illuminated  their 
faces  with  the  radiant  lustre  of  joy  :  the  Tyrol  was  delivered 
from  the  foreign  yoke,  and  they,  the  sons  of  the  country,  had 
alone  liberated  their  beloved  fatherland. 

''Now,  men  of  the  Tyrol,"  shouted  Hormayr,  "listen  to  the 
message  which  the  Archduke  John  sends  to  you." 


ELIZA   WALLNER'S   RETURN.  215 

And  amid  the  solemn  silence  of  the  Tyrolese,  and  the  peals 
of  the  Meran  church-bells  penetrating  up  to  them,  Hormayr 
read  to  them  a  document  drawn  up  by  the  Archduke  John,  by 
virtue  of  which  he  resumed  possession  of  the  Tyrol  in  the 
name  of  the  emperor,  declared  it  to  be  incorporated  with  the 
imperial  states,  and  solemnly  vowed  that,  as  a  reward  of  its 
loyalty,  it  should  remain  united  with  Austria  for  all  future 
time.  At  the  same  time,  the  ancient  constitution  and  the 
former  privileges  were  restored  to  the  Tyrolese,  and  Baron  von 
Hormayr  was  appointed  governor  of  the  Tyrol. 


CHAPTER  XX. 
ELIZA  WALLNER'S  RETURN. 

ALL  Windisch  Matrey  was  again  in  joyful  commotion  to- 
day, for  a  twofold  festival  was  to  be  celebrated  :  the  return  of 
the  men  of  Windisch-Matrey,  who  had  so  bravely  fought  for 
the  country  and  so  aided  in  delivering  it ;  and  then,  as  had 
been  resolved  previous  to  their  departure,  Eliza  Wallner's 
wedding  was  to  come  off  to-day. 

She  had  redeemed  her  pledge,  she  had  proved  that  she  was 
a  true  and  brave  daughter  of  the  Tyrol,  and  Anthony  Wall- 
ner,  her  father,  was  no  longer  angry  with  her  ;  he  wished  to 
reward  her  for  her  courage  and  intrepidity,  and  make  her 
happy.  Therefore,  he  had  sent  a  messenger  secretly  and  with- 
out her  knowledge  to  Windisch-Matrey,  and  had  ordered  his 
wife  to  decorate  the  house  festively,  and  request  the  curate  to 
repair  to  the  church  and  perform  the  marriage  rites.  The  re- 
turning Tyrolese  were  to  march  to  the  church,  and,  after 
thanking  God  for  the  deliverance  of  the  Tyrol,  the  curate  was 
to  marry  Eliza  Wallner  and  her  lover  in  presence  of  the  whole 
congregation. 

Since  early  dawn,  therefore,  all  the  married  women  and 
girls  of  Windisch-Matrey,  dressed  in  their  handsome  holiday 
attire,  had  been  in  the  street,  and  had  decorated  the  route 
which  the  returning  men  were  to  take,  and  adorned  the  church 
with  wreaths  and  garlands  of  flowers. 


216  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

Wallner's  wife  alone  had  remained  at  home,  for  she  had  to 
attend  to  the  preparations  for  the  wedding-banquet,  with 
which  she  and  her  servant-girls  had  been  occupied  during  the 
whole  of  the  previous  day.  There  were  a  great  many  things 
to  be  done  yet ;  the  table  had  to  be  set  in  the  large  bar- 
room for  the  wedding-guests  ;  the  roasts  had  to  be  looked 
after  in  the  kitchen  ;  and  the  whole  house  had  to  be  deco- 
rated, and  festoons  of  flowers  to  be  suspended  round  its  en- 
trance. 

"Schropfel  might  render  me  good  service  now,"  said 
Wallner's  wife,  eagerly.  "  I  have  so  many  things  to  attend 
to,  and  he  does  not  move  his  hands,  but  sits  like  a  log  at 
the  door  of  dear  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  and  cares  for  noth- 
ing else.  Oh,  Schropfel,  Schropfel,  come  here  !  I  want  to 
see  you  ! '' 

At  the  staircase  leading  down  into  the  hall  appeared  the 
sunburnt,  furrowed  face  of  old  Schropfel. 

"If  you  want  to  see  me,  you  must  come  up  here,'1  he 
shouted.  "  I  have  been  told  to  stand  guard  here,  and  I  will 
not  desert  my  post,  even  for  the  sake  of  Mrs.  Wallner,  until  I 
am  relieved." 

"  He  is  a  queer  fellow,"  said  Mrs.  Wallner,  laughing,  "  but 
I  must  do  what  he  says." 

She  hastened  up-stairs.  At  the  door  of  the  room  where 
the  prisoner  was  confined  stood  the  servant,  pressing  his  face 
to  the  brown  panels  of  the  door. 

"Now,  Schropfel,"  asked  Mrs.  Wallner,  laughing,  "can 
you  see  through  the  boards  ?  For  you  put  your  eyes  to  the 
door  as  though  it  were  a  window." 

"It  is  a  window,"  said  Schropfel,  in  a  low  voice,  limping 
up  a  few  steps  to  his  mistress.  "I  have  bored  four  small 
holes  in  the  door,  and  through  them  I  am  able  to  see  the 
whole  room  and  all  that  the.  prisoner  is  doing.  Look,  Mrs. 
Wallner  !  the  hole  below  there  is  my  window  when  he  is  in 
bed  an4  asleep ;  .1  can  see  his  face  through  it.  .The  hole  a 
little  above  it  enables  me  to  watch  him  while  he  is  seated  at 
the  table,  and  writing  or  reading  ;  and  through  the  hole  up 
here  I  can  see  his  face  when  he  is  pacing  the  room." 

"  You  are  a  strange  fellow,"  said  Mrs.  Wallner,  shaking 


ELIZA    WALLNER'S   RETURN.  217 

her  head.  "  You  watch  the  poor  sick  prisoner  as  though  he 
were  an  eagle,  always  ready  to  fly  from  the  nest." 

''  He  is  about  what  you  say,1'  said  Schropfel,  thoughtfully. 
"  He  is  no  longer  sick,  and  his  wings  have  grown  a  great 
deal  during  the  week  since  he  was  here.  I  believe  he  would 
like  to  fly  from  here." 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  Mrs.  Wallner,  with  a  shrug.  "  He  loves  my 
Lizzie,  and  I  do  not  believe  that  he  who  loves  that  girl  will 
wish  to  fly  away  before  she  flies  with  him." 

"  I  do  not  know  about  that ;  I  have  my  own  notions  about 
it,"  said  Schropfel.  "  He  is  a  Bavarian  for  all  that,  and  the 
Bavarians  are  all  faithless  and  dishonest.  1  swore  to  watch 
him  and  not  lose  sight  of  him,  and  I  must  keep  my  oath  ; 
hence,  I  shall  not  leave  the  door  until  I  am  relieved." 

"  Then  you  will  not  come  down-stairs  and  help  me  fix  the 
wreaths  and  garlands,  set  the  table,  and  clean  the  knives  ? " 

"  No,  dear  Mrs.  Wallner,  I  am  not  allowed  to  do  so,  much 
as  I  would  like  to  assist  you.  A  sentinel  must  never  leave  his 
post,  or  he  will  be  called  a  deserter,  and  Mr.  Wallner  always 
told  me  that  that  was  a  great  disgrace  for  an  honest  fellow. 
Now,  as  I  am  an  honest  fellow,  and,  owing  to  my  lame  leg, 
cannot  serve  the  country  in  any  other  way  than  watching 
this  prisoner,  I  shall  stay  here  as  a  sentinel  and  take  good  care 
not  to  desert." 

"Well,  do  so,  then,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Wallner,  half  angrily, 
half  laughingly.  "  But  you  may  go  in  to  the  gentleman  and 
tell  him  to  be  of  good  cheer,  for  Eliza  will  come  back  to-day, 
and  the  wedding  will  take  place  immediately  after  her  return, 
when  he  will  be  free.  Tell  him  to  prepare  for  the  ceremony  ; 
for,  when  the  bells  commence  ringing,  the  returning  defend- 
ers of  the  country  will  have  reached  the  village,  and  we  are 
to  go  with  him  to  the  church,  where  the  curate  will  await 
us." 

"Of  course,  I  shall  tell  him  all  this,"  growled  Schropfel, 
and  Mrs.  Wallner  hastened  down-stairs  again. 

"  Yes,  I  shall  tell  him,"  murmured  Schropfel  to  himself, 

"  but  I  wonder  if  it  will  gladden  his  heart  ?    During  the  first 

few  days,  when  he  had  the  wound-fever,  he  talked  strange 

things  in  his  delirium,  and  derided  and  scorned  our  beautiful 

15 


218  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

Lizzie,  who,  he  said,  was  bent  upon  becoming  an  aristocratic 
lady.  Since  he  is  well  again,  he  abuses  her  no  longer,  but  he 
looks  very  sombre,  and  during  the  whole  week  he  has  not 
once  inquired  after  his  betrothed.  God  blast  the  accursed 
Boafok  if  he  should  love  the  girl  no  longer,  and  if  he  did  not 
honestly  intend  to  make  her  his  wife  !  I  will  go  in  to  him 
and  see  how  he  receives  the  news." 

Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  was  seated  in  his  armchair,  and 
gazing  musingly  out  of  the  window.  He  did  not  turn  when 
the  old  servant  entered  his  room  ;  he  seemed  not  to  have 
noticed  his  arrival,  but  continued  staring  at  the  sky  even 
when  Schropfel  stood  close  to  him.  The  face  of  the  young 
man  was  still  pale  and  wan,  and  under  his  eyes,  formerly  so 
clear  and  cheerful,  were  to  be  seen  those  bluish  circles  indica- 
tive of  internal  sufferings  of  the  body  or  the  soul.  However, 
since  the  wound-fever  had  left  him,  he  had  never  uttered  a 
complaint,  and  the  wound,  which  was  not  very  severe,  had 
already  closed  and  was  healing  rapidly.  Hence,  it  was  doubt- 
less grief  that  imparted  so  gloomy  and  sickly  an  appearance 
to  Captain  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  and  it  was  this  very  sus- 
picion that  rendered  Schropfel  distrustful,  and  caused  him  to 
watch  his  prisoner  night  and  day  with  sombre  vigilance. 

He  stood  a  few  minutes  patiently,  and  waited  for  the  cap- 
tain to  address  him;  but  Hohenberg  continuing  to  take  no 
notice  of  him,  he  resolutely  laid  his  hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"Sir,  awake  !"  he  exclaimed  sullenly. 

The  captain  gave  a  slight  start,  and  pushed  the  servant's 
hand  with  an  angry  gesture  from  his  shoulder. 

"I  am  awake,"  he  said  ;  "  it  is  therefore  quite  unnecessary 
for  you  to  lay  hands  on  me.  What  is  it  ?  What  do  you  want 
of  me  ? " 

"I  want  to  tell  you  only  that  our  men  will  return  this 
morning,  and  that  this  will  be  a  great  holiday  in  Windisch- 
Matrey.  For  our  men  are  victorious,  and  the  country  is  de- 
livered from  the  enemy.  Mr.  Wallner  has  written  to  us  that 
the  brave  Tyrolese  delivered  the  whole  country  in  three  days, 
that  they  have  taken  prisoners  eight  thousand  infantry  and 
one  thousand  cavalry,  and  captured  eight  guns,  two  stands  of 
colors,  and  two  French  eagles.  Besides,  several  thousand 


ELIZA    WALL.Ntlil'S    ULTL'KX.  219 

French  and  Bavarians  have  perished  in  the  gorges  and  on  the 
battle-fields.  Very  few  of  our  own  men  have  been  killed,  and 
not  one  of  them  made  prisoner.  Now  the  whole  country  is 
free,  and  our  victorious  men  are  coming  home." 

Not  a  muscle  in  the  captain's  face  had  betrayed  thi*,.  he 
had  heard  Schropfel's  report.  He  still  stared  quietly  at  the 
sky,  and  his  features  expressed  neither  grief  nor  surprise  at 
the  astounding  news. 

"  You  do  not  ask  at  all,  sir,  if  Eliza  Wallner  will  return 
with  the  men  ?  "  asked  Schropfel,  angrily.  "  I  should  think 
you  ought  to  take  some  interest  in  that,  for  Lizzie  is  your  be- 
trothed." 

"She  is  not  !"  cried  the  captain,  starting  up  indignantly, 
with  flushed  cheeks  and  flashing  eyes. 

"Yes,  she  is,"  said  Schropfel,  composedly.  "I  myself 
heard  the  girl  say  to  her  father  and  the  men  of  Windisch- 
Matrey:  'He  is  my  bridegroom  ;  I  love  him,  and  you  must 
not  kill  him.'  And  because  she  said  so,  the  men  spared  your 
life,  although  Anthony  "Wallner-Aichberger  was  very  angry, 
and  would  not  forgive  his  daughter  for  having  given  her 
heart  to  an  enemy  of  her  country,  a  Bavarian,  and,  moreover, 
a  nobleman,  and  not  to  an  honest  peasant.  But  Lizzie  begged 
and  wailed  so  much  that  her  father  could  not  but  yield,  and 
promised  her  to  forgive  all  if  she  proved  that  she  was  no  trait- 
oress  to  her  country,  but  a  true  and  brave  daughter  of  the  Tyr- 
ol ;  after  doing  so,  he  would  permit  her  to  marry  her  Bava- 
rian betrothed.  And  now  she  has  proved  that  she  is  a  true 
and  brave  daughter  of  the  Tyrol,  and  the  whole  country  is 
full  of  the  heroic  deeds  performed  by  Lizzie  Wallner,  and  of 
the  intrepidity  which  she  displayed  under  the  most  trying  cir- 
cumstances. And  to-day,  captain,  you  will  meet  again  your 
betrothed,  who  saved  your  life,  and  who  went  with  the  men 
only  to  perform  heroic  deeds  that  would  induce  her  father  to 
consent  to  her  union  with  you.  I  tell  you,  sir,  beautiful 
Lizzie  Wallner,  your  betrothed,  will  return  in  an  hour  or 
two." 

The  young  man's  face  crimsoned  for  a  moment,  and  when 
the  color  disappeared  from  his  cheeks,  their  pallor  was  even 
more  striking  and  ghastly  than  before. 


220  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"  Eliza  Wallner  fought,  then,  very  bravely  against — against 
my  countrymen  ?  "  he  asked,  pantingly. 

"  No,  she  did  not  fight,  sir,  but  she  went  into  the  thickest 
shower  of  bullets  to  carry  away  the  wounded  Tyrolese,  and 
attend  to  their  injuries;  and  she  drove  a  hay- wagon  directly 
toward  the  enemy,  and  our  men  were  concealed  behind  the 
hay,  and  she  brought  a  keg  of  wine  to  our  men  while  the 
bullets  were  whistling  round  her  ;  and,  finally,  she  and  the 
other  women  escorted  the  Bavarian  prisoners  to  Castle  Stein- 
ach." 

The  young  man  uttered  a  cry,  and  buried  his  face  in  his 
hands. 

"  What  a  disgrace,  oh,  what  a  disgrace  !  "  he  groaned,  de- 
spairingly ;  and  in  his  grief  he  seemed  to  have  entirely  for- 
gotten the  presence  of  the  servant,  for  he  wept,  wept  so  bit- 
terly that  large  scalding  tears  trickled  down  between  his 
fingers.  "  Our  brave  soldiers  were  defeated  by  miserable 
peasants,"  be  wailed.  "  The  Bavarian  prisoners  were  marched 
off  under  an  escort  of  women  ! " 

Schropfel  stood  as  if  petrified,  and  this  outburst  of  the 
grief  of  the  usually  haughty  and  laconic  young  man  filled 
him  with  the  utmost  surprise  and  confusion. 

However,  the  captain  suddenly  dried  his  tears  and  dropped 
his  hands  from  his  face. 

"  And  Eliza  Wallner,  you  say,  led  the  women  who  escorted 
the  Bavarian  prisoners  ? "  he  asked,  in  a  firm,  almost  menac- 
ing voice. 

"  Yes,  sir,  she  did,"  said  Schropfel.  "  And  now  her  father 
is  reconciled  with  her,  and,  to  prove  it,  he  will  marry  his 
daughter  to  you  to-day." 

The  captain  said  nothing  ;  only  a  proud,  scornful  smile 
played  around  his  lips  for  a  moment. 

"  Yes,"  added  Schropfel,  "  the  wedding  will  come  off  to-day. 
Immediately  after  their  return  the  procession  will  move  to 
the  church,  where  a  thanksgiving  service  will  be  held  ;  it 
will  be  followed  by  the  marriage  ceremony.  Mr.  Wallner 
wrote  to  his  wife  to  send  you  to  the  church  as  soon  as  the 
bells  commenced  ringing,  and  to  keep  you  in  the  vestry  until 
you  were  sent  for.  Remember,  therefore,  as  soon  as  the  bells 


ELIZA  WALLNER'S  RETURN.  221 

commence  ringing,  I  shall  call  for  you  and  take  you  to  the 
vestry." 

The  young  man  was  silent,  and  gazed  thoughtfully  before 
him ;  he  then  threw  back  his  head  with  an  air  of  bold  reso- 
lution. 

"  All  right,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  accompany  you.  Did  you  not 
say  that  my  baggage  had  been  sent  hither  from  the  castle  ? " 

"  Yes,  yes,  Miss  Elza  sent  every  thing  hither  by  her  serv- 
ants, and  she  herself  came  with  them.  And  during  the  first 
days,  when  you  had  the  wound-fever,  she  came  here  at  least 
three  times  a  day  and  asked  how  you  were,  and  cried  and 
lamented,  and  entreated  me  for  God's  sake  to  admit  her  to 
your  room  only  for  a  brief  moment.  But  I  had  sworn  not  to 
admit  any  one  to  my  prisoner,  nor  to  permit  him  to  speak 
with  any  one ;  hence,  I  could  not  make  an  exception  even  in 
favor  of  the  kind-hearted  young  lady.  She  comes  neverthe- 
less every  day  and  inquires  about  you  ;  and  she  begged  hard 
and  long  until  Mrs.  Wallner  permitted  her  to  send  your  din- 
ner always  from  the  castle.  As  you  will  be  free  to-day,  I  may 
tell  you  all  this,  for  it  will  no  longer  do  any  harm." 

"  No,  it  will  no  longer  do  any  harm,"  said  the  captain,  with 
a  peculiar  smile.  "  Listen,  I  wish  to  dress  up  for  to-day's  cere- 
mony, and  don  my  gala  uniform.  Therefore  be  so  kind  as  to 
fetch  it." 

"I  will,  captain,  I  will  fetch  the  uniform  and  be  back  di- 
rectly," said  Schropfel,  cheerfully,  limping  hastily  toward  the 
door.  But  outside  he  stood  still  and  pressed  his  finger 
thoughtfully  to  his  nose.  "  I  do  not  know  exactly  what  to 
think  of  it,"  he  murmured  to  himself.  "  At  first  he  uttered  a 
loud  cry  and  said  Lizzie  Wallner  was  not  his  betrothed  ;  after- 
ward he  lamented  piteously  because  Lizzie  Wallner  escorted 
the  Bavarian  prisoners  ;  and  finally  he  asked  for  his  gala 
uniform  in  order  to  dress  up  for  the  ceremony.  Well,  we 
shall  see  very  soon  if  he  has  honest  intentions  toward  Lizzie 
and  really  loves  her.  If  he  thinks  he  can  play  her  a  trick,  he 
had  better  beware,  for  I  shall  never  lose  sight  of  him  ;  I  shall 
always  be  behind  him,  and  if  he  does  not  treat  the  girl  as  he 
ought  to,  I  will  strike  him  down  with  my  fists  like  a  mad 
bull !  I  will  do  it,  so  help  me  God  ! " 


222  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  CATASTROPHE. 

THE  bells  were  ringing,  the  men  were  rejoicing,  and  the 
girls  of  Windisch-Matrey  and  its  environs  took  position  with 
baskets  of  flowers  on  both  sides  of  the  street.  For  the  victori- 
ous defenders  of  the  country  were  approaching  ;  their  cheers 
were  already  heard  at  a  distance  ;  and  they  already  saw  the 
merry  boys  who  had  gone  out  to  meet  them,  and  who  now 
headed  the  procession  amid  manifestations  of  the  liveliest  de- 
light. Yes,  they  were  coming,  they  were  coming  !  Yonder, 
down  the  mountain-slope,  moved  the  motley  procession  of  the 
Tyrolese,  resembling  a  glittering  serpent  of  gigantic  propor- 
tions. How  their  rifles  flashed  in  the  sun  !  How  beautifully 
the  bouquets  adorned  their  pointed  green  hats  !  And  now 
they  were  already  able  to  distinguish  the  faces  and  the  indi- 
vidual forms.  Immediately  behind  the  boys,  at  the  head  of 
the  procession,  walked  Anthony  Wallner-Aichberger.  How 
splendid  the  commander-in-chief  looked  ;  and  how  beautiful 
was  Lizzie,  walking  by  his  side,  handsomely  dressed,  and  wear- 
ing a  beautiful  bouquet  in  her  bosom  !  Her  attentive  father 
had  despatched  a  special  messenger  to  his  wife  for  Lizzie's 
holiday  dress  and  her  trinkets,  so  that  Lizzie,  the  pride  and 
joy  of  his  heart,  might  make  her  entrance  in  a  becoming  man- 
ner into  Windisch-Matrey. 

Lizzie  looked  really  splendid  in  her  holiday  attire.  Her 
raven  hair,  flowing  down  in  heavy  tresses  on  her  neck,  was 
interwoven  with  dark-red  ribbons,  and  large  rosettes  of  the 
same  color  were  fastened  with  silver  pins  to  her  head.  Her 
low-necked  corset,  adorned  with  silver  trimmings,  was  fast- 
ened on  the  breast  with  silver  chains  ;  and  above  it  rose  a 
white  chemisette  trimmed  with  laces,  and  veiling  chastely  her 
faultless  bust  and  beautifully-shaped  shoulders.  Large  white 
sleeves  covered  her  arras  and  were  fastened  to  her  wrists  with 
dark-red  rosettes.  An  ample  skirt  of  fine  dark-red  wool, 
trimmed  with  black  velvet,  fell  from  her  slender  waist  down 
to  her  ankles,  and  her  small  feet  were  encased  in  handsome 


THE   CATASTROPHE.  223 

stockings  and  shoes  adorned  with  large  silver  buckles.  The 
boys  had  brought  to  her  the  splendid  bouquet  which  she  wore 
in  her  bosom,  and  had  told  her,  amid  laughter  and  cheers, 
that  her  betrothed  sent  her  the  bouquet  as  a  wedding-present. 

But  these  words  had  rendered  Lizzie  silent  and  sad.  The 
smile  had  disappeared  from  her  lips,  and  the  color  had  faded 
from  her  cheeks  ;  she  looked  anxiously  at  her  father,  but  he 
nodded  to  her  and  said  laughingly  :  ''  Do  not  ask  me  any 
questions  to-day,  Lizzie,  for  I  will  not  tell  you  any  thing. 
Await  quietly  the  events  that  will  take  place,  and  bear  in 
mind  that  your  father  loves  you  dearly,  and  is  anxious  to 
make  his  little  daughter  happy  and  contented." 

Eliza  tried  to  divine  what  these  words  of  her  father  meant, 
and  a  gloomy  foreboding,  a  terror  which  she  was  unable  to  ex- 
plain to  herself,  filled  her  heart. 

She  listened  no  longer  to  the  joyous  shouts  of  the  boys, 
and  ceased  singing  with  Panzl  the  fine  songs  of  the  Tyrolese 
mountains,  but  walked  along,  pale,  silent,  and  hanging  her 
head. 

Now  they  reached  Windisch-Matrey,  and  stood  still  at  the 
entrance  of  the  street,  where  the  clergy,  municipal  authorities, 
and  the  beautifully-dressed  girls,  bade  them  welcome.  Oh.  it 
was  a  soul-stirring  moment,  a  sacred  festival  of  welcome  ! 
The  brave  men  had  gone  out  to  fight  for  their  native  country, 
their  emperor,  and  the  liberties  of  the  Tyrol  ;  and  God  had 
granted  them  victory.  He  had  assisted  them  in  all  contests, 
the  country  was  free,  the  emperor  was  again  master  of  the 
Tyrol,  and  the  men  of  Windisch-Matrey  returned  victoriously 
to  their  homes.  All  seemed  to  greet  them  with  glowing  looks 
of  love  ;  the  whole  earth  seemed  to  shout  "  Welcome ! "  to 
them.  Even  the  glistening  snow-clad  summits  of  the  Gross- 
Glockner  seemed  to  look  at  them  over  the  other  mountains 
with  an  air  of  curiosity  and  solemn  kindness  ;  and  on  the 
green  mountain-pastures  stood  the  red  cows  so  proud  and 
handsome,  as  if  they  had  placed  themselves  there  for  the  pur- 
pose of  adorning  the  landscape  for  the  returning  heroes. 
And  the  wild  Iselbach  murmured  merrily  at  the  roadside  and 
sent  its  silvery  spray  into  the  air,  and  the  boys  laughed  and 
sang  ;  the  bells  pealed  so  loudly  and  solemnly,  and  received 


224  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

ringing  responses  from  the  villages  farther  down  in  the  val- 
ley ;  the  priests  stood  with  solemn,  devout  faces  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  place,  blessing  the  heroes  with  uplifted  hands, 
and  eyes  turned  to  heaven  ;  and  the  girls  and  matrons,  strew- 
ing flowers  to  the  returning  men,  stood  on  both  sides  of  the 
street,  and  greeted  them  with  beaming  smiles. 

Oh,  this  sweet,  sublime  moment  silenced  all  cares  and 
doubts.  The  smile  returned  to  Eliza's  lips,  her  cheeks  crim- 
soned, and  her  eyes  beamed  with  the  purest  joy.  With  a  loud 
cry  of  delight  she  threw  herself  into  the  arms  of  her  mother, 
and  kissed  her  a  thousand  times,  and  scarcely  listened  to  the 
address  of  the  curate,  who  returned  thanks  to  her  in  the  name 
of  the  whole  parish  for  her  courage  and  the  assistance  she  had 
rendered  to  her  countrymen  wounded  in  battle. 

But  now  Eliza  heard  a  dear  familiar  voice,  which  caused 
her  to  raise  herself  from  her  mother's  arms  and  look  up. 

Yes,  it  was  the  old,  kind-hearted  Baron  von  Hohenberg 
who  was  standing  before  her,  and  held  out  his  hand  to  her 
with  his  sunniest  and  kindest  smile.  "  My  brave  daughter," 
he  said,  feelingly,  "  give  me  your  hand.  You  know  that  I 
love  you  as  though  you  were  my  own  child  ;  and  now  I  am 
proud  of  you,  for  you  have  become  a  heroine,  and  have  done 
honor  to  our  Tyrol.  Elza  was  right  after  all  in  always  call- 
ing you  another  Maid  of  Orleans,  and  saying  you  were  a  born 
heroine." 

•'  But  where  is  Elza  ? "  said  Lizzie,  anxiously,  to  the  old 
castellan. 

"  Here  I  am,  dearest  Eliza,"  said  the  young  lady,  who  had 
hitherto  kept  herself  behind  her  father  and  the  clergyman. 

"  Oh,  my  Elza,  my  dear,  dear  Elza  ! "  exclaimed  Eliza,  rap- 
turously ;  and  she  encircled  her  friend's  neck  with  her  arms, 
and  imprinted  a  glowing  kiss  on  her  lips. 

But  she  felt  that  Elza's  lips  quivered,  that  she  did  not  re- 
turn the  kiss,  nor  press  the  friend  to  her  heart ;  and  it  seemed 
to  Eliza  as  though  a  cold  hand  suddenly  touched  her  heart  and 
pressed  it  rudely  and  cruelly.  She  raised  her  head  from  Elza's 
shoulder,  and  looked  her  full  in  the  face.  It  was  not  until 
now  that  she  saw  how  pale  Elza  was,  how  red  her  eyes  with 
weeping,  and  how  forced  her  smile. 


THE  CATASTROPHE.  225 

"You  are  sick,  Elza,"  she  said,  anxiously. 

"No,"  whispered  Elza,  "I  am  not." 

"Then  you  love  your  Lizzie  no  longer  ? "  asked  Eliza,  press- 
ingly. 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  said  Elza,  in  a  hollow  voice,  and  with  a  won- 
drously  mournful  smile.  "  I  do  love  you,  and,  to  prove  it,  I 
present  you  with  this  wreath.  God  bless  you,  dear  Lizzie  ; 
may  He  grant  you  happiness  ! " 

"Elza,"  cried  Eliza,  anxiously,  "  Elza,  pray  come  to  me  and 
tell  me  what  it  means,  what — " 

"  Hush,  Lizzie,  hush,"  said  her  father,  seizing  her  hand  and 
drawing  her  forward.  "  Do  you  not  see  that  the  procession  is 
moving  on,  and  that  we  must  go  with  it  ?  See,  the  curate  and 
the  castellan  are  already  far  ahead,  and  we  must  go  too." 

"  But  where,  father,  where  ?  " 

"  To  the  church,  you  dear  little  goose  ! " 

"  To  the  church  ?  What  are  we  to  do  there  ?  Why  do  we 
not  go  home  ? " 

"  Have  you  become  so  impious  during  your  campaign,  Liz- 
zie, as  not  to  know  that  we  must  always  render  homage  to 
God  first  and  above  all  things  ?  We  are  going  to  church  to 
return  thanks  ;  come  with  me,  and  ask  no  more  questions." 

"  But  I  will  take  off  the  myrtle- wreath  ! "  exclaimed  Lizzie, 
lifting  her  hand  anxiously  to  the  wreath.  But  her  father  drew 
back  her  hand. 

"  No,  Lizzie,"  he  said,  "  do  not  remove  the  wreath.  It  fits 
well  on  your  head." 

"  But  I  am  no  bride  going  to  church  on  her  wedding-day." 

"  Really,  Lizzie,  are  you  not  ? "  asked  her  father,  laughing. 
"  But  hush  now,  my  child,  we  are  already  at  the  church-door, 
and  do  you  not  hear  the  glorious  swelling  notes  of  the  organ  ? 
Let  us  enter  the  church,  dear  Lizzie." 

He  drew  her  forward,  and  Eliza  followed  him  :  but  inde- 
scribable anguish  oppressed  her  soul ;  she  did  not  know  why, 
and  she  felt  as  though  something  dreadful  were  about  to  hap- 
pen here,  and  as  though  she  ought  to  flee,  flee  far  into  the 
mountains,  into  solitude. 

But  her  father  held  her  by  the  hand,  and  walked  with  her 
up  the  main  aisle  to  the  large  altar.  Rows  of  chairs,  decorated 


226  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

with  flowers,  had  been  placed  here,  and  Eliza  had  to  seat  her- 
self on  one  of  these  chairs  ;  by  her  side  sat  her  father  ;  op- 
posite her,  the  castellan  and  her  friend  Elza  ;  then  came  the 
municipality,  and  John  Panzl,  lieutenant-commander  of  the 
men  of  Windisch-Matrey,  and  behind  them  stood  the  dense 
crowd  of  the  sharpshooters  of  the  Pusterthal. 

Eliza  cast  a  searching  glance  on  the  dense  crowd  ;  she 
looked  at  all  the  pews,  and  yet  she  did  not  know  what  she  was 
looking  for,  nor  what  alarmed  her  heart  so  much. 

All  at  once  she  started  in  sudden  terror,  and  her  cheek 
turned  deadJy  pale.  Yonder,  behind  the  windows  of  the 
vestry,  she  beheld  a  young  man  in  a  handsome  uniform  ;  it 
was  he,  he  whom  she  had  looked  for  without  knowing  it  her- 
self ;  he  from  whose  sight  her  heart  had  shrunk  with  anxiety 
and  dismay.  And  yet  Eliza  had  longed  to  see  him,  for  she  had 
been  uneasy  on  his  account :  she  had  feared  lest  he  should  still 
suffer  gravely  from  the  consequences  of  his  wound.  But  she 
had  not  dared  to  ask  any  one  about  him  ;  hence,  she  was  glad 
to  see  that  he  was  well,  and  showed  her  gladness  in  her  gaze 
at  him.  Their  eyes  met,  but  he  looked  upon  her  with  an  ex- 
pression of  hatred  and  contempt ;  a  haughty,  disdainful  smile 
played  round  his  lips,  and  he  threw  back  his  head  supercil- 
iously, instead  of  nodding  pleasantly  to  her. 

Eliza  felt  a  terrible  pain  in  her  heart :  she  wished  to  jump 
up,  she —  All  at  once  she  heard  her  name  drop  from  the  lips 
of  the  curate,  who  was  standing  before  the  altar,  and  who  had 
just  concluded  the  thanksgiving  prayer.  What  did  he  say — 
why  did  he  mention  her  ?  She  held  her  breath  to  listen  to 
him.  Great  heavens  1  another  name  fell  from  the  curate's 
lips.  He  uttered  the  name  of  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  ;  he  pro- 
claimed him  the  bridegroom  of  Eliza  Wallner,  who  was 
present  ;  he  called  upon  Captain  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  to 
appear  before  the  altar,  and  receive  the  consecration  of  his 
union  with  his  betrothed  in  the  presence  of  all  these  witnesses. 

With  a  hollow  groan,  crushed,  and  as  if  broken-hearted, 
Eliza  sank  back  into  her  chair,  and  her  pale  lips  murmured  : 
"  Now  I  am  lost,  and  so  is  he  ! " 

''  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,"  shouted  the  priest  at  the  altar, 
"'  come  hither  and  take  your  bride  by  the  hand." 


THE  CATASTROPHE.  227 

The  door  of  the  vestry  opened,  and  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg 
stepped  in.  His  tall,  slender  form  presented  a  very  fine  ap- 
pearance in  the  brilliant  gala  uniform  ;  a  flashing  cross 
adorned  his  breast :  in  his  hand  he  held  his  gold-laced  hat, 
with  the  waving  white  plume  ;  only  the  sword  was  wanting 
to  his  side,  and  this  alone  betokened  his  humiliating  position, 
and  showed  that  he  was  a  prisoner  amidst  all  these  armed 
men.  But  the  consciousness  of  this  fact  seemed  not  to 
humiliate  him,  for  he  walked  up,  his  head  proudly  raised, 
and  his  stern,  cold  eyes  gazing  scornfully  upon  the  assembly. 

He  stepped  close  up  to  the  altar.  ''  Reverend  father,"  he 
said,  in  a  clear,  loud  voice  to  the  priest,  "  you  have  called  me. 
Here  I  am.  What  do  you  want  of  me  ? " 

"  I  have  called  you,  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  to  marry  you 
to  your  betrothed.  Eliza  Wallner,  step  to  the  side  of  your 
bridegroom." 

But  Eliza  Wallner  did  not  rise  from  her  chair  ;  she  leaned 
her  head,  almost  in  a  swoon,  against  the  back  of  her  chair, 
and  stared,  as  if  unconscious  of  what  was  going  on  around 
her,  at  the  priest  and  the  young  man,  who  fixed  his  eyes  on 
her  at  this  moment  with  an  air  of  cold  contempt. 

''  Eliza  Wallner,"  he  cried  aloud,  "  do  not  come  hither,  for 
I  am  not  your  betrothed,  and  never  shall  you  become  my 
wife  ! " 

A  deafening  cry  of  rage  burst  from  all  lips  :  the  eyes  of  all 
the  brave  men  in  the  church  flashed  with  anger,  and  they  laid 
their  hands  menacingly  on  their  rifles. 

But  Anthony  Wallner  sprang  to  his  feet,  pale  with  rage, 
his  eyes  shooting  fire,  like  those  of  an  angry  tiger,  rushed  to- 
ward the  captain,  and  seized  his  arm. 

"  What ! "  he  cried,  furiously,  "  you  infamous,  perjured 
scoundrel,  refuse  to  marry  my  daughter  ?  First  you  stole  her 
love,  you  promised  to  marry  her,  and  now  that  I  would  give 
her  to  you,  you  refuse  to  take  her  !  " 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  cried  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  almost  joyously. 
"  Never  will  Eliza  Wallner,  the  peasant-girl,  become  my  wife  ; 
never  will  I  stoop  so  low  as  to  allow  a  wife  to  be  forced  upon 
me,  merely  to  save  my  life,  and  least  of  all  her  who  has  fought 
agaiiist  my  countrymen  and  brethren  ;  who  participated  in 


228  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

the  studied  insult  inflicted  upon  the  brave  soldiers  of  my  king, 
and  in  the  infamous  treason  you  have  all  committed  against 
your  king  and  lord.  Yes,  I  tell  you,  you  are  infamous  rebels 
and  traitors,  and  you  think  I,  Captain  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg, 
a  soldier  who  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  his  king,  could  act 
so  dishonorably  and  meanly  as  to  join  the  rebels  !  No,  never  ! 
Never  will  the  daughter  of  the  rebel  Anthony  Wallner  become 
my  wife  !  Kill  me  now  if  you  want  to  do  so.  You  may  take 
my  life,  but  you  cannot  dishonor  me  ! " 

Eliza  sat  still  motionless,  and  as  if  petrified.  She  had 
heard,  as  if  in  a  dream,  the  captain's  words  ;  and,  as  if  in  a 
dream,  she  saw  that  Schropfel  rushed  forward  and  raised  his 
powerful  arm  against  him,  and  that  all  the  men  crowded  up 
to  him  with  menacing  gestures  ;  as  if  in  a  dream,  she  heard 
wild  shouts  and  imprecations. 

All  at  once  two  ice-cold,  trembling  hands  seized  Eliza's 
arms,  and  a  beloved  voice  penetrated  her  ear  with  the  vehe- 
mence of  mortal  anguish  and  terror. 

"  Eliza  ! "  cried  this  voice — "  Eliza,  will  you  allow  them  to 
kill  him?" 

"  Elza  !  "  murmured  Eliza,  as  if  starting  up  from  a  trance, 
"  Elza,  what  is  the  matter  ? " 

"  They  will  assassinate  him,  Eliza  !  "  wailed  Elza.  "  They 
have  tied  and  gagged  him,  and  say  that  they  will  take  him 
out  and  shoot  him.  Eliza,  you  alone  can  save  him  !  Have 
mercy,  forget  what  he  said  in  his  rage  and  grief.  Have  mercy 
upon  him,  upon  me  !  For  I  tell  you,  they  will  assassinate 
him.  Oh,  see,  they  are  forming  a  circle  round  him,  and  drag- 
ging him  down  the  aisle  !  They  are  taking  him  out  to  the 
public  place  !  They  intend  to  shoot  him  !  Save  him,  Eliza, 
save  him  ! " 

Eliza  made  no  reply  ;  she  sprang  up  from  her  seat  and 
hastened  down  the  aisle  after  the  men,  who  were  just  issuing 
from  the  church-door,  and  in  whose  midst  was  walking  Cap- 
tain Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  conducted  by  Anthony  Wallner, 
and  his  servant,  lame  old  Schropfel,  his  hands  tied  on  his  back. 
and  a  gag  in  his  mouth. 

But  the  sharpshooters  surrounded  the  prisoner  like  a  thick, 
impenetrable  wall.  Vainly  did  Eliza  beg  and  implore  the 


/        THE   CATASTROPHE.  229 

men  to  let  her  pass  ;  vainly  did  she  try  with  the  strength  of 
despair  to  elbow  her  way  through  the  ranks.  The  men  pushed 
her  hack  impetuously. 

"  You  shall  not  intercede  in  behalf  of  the  infamous  vil- 
lain," they  said  ;  "  you  shall  not  save  the  life  of  the  mean 
Bavarian  who  calls  us  rebels  and  traitors,  and  yet  did  not 
keep  his  own  word.  He  shall  and  must  die,  he  has  forfeited 
his  life."  And  their  strong  arms  pushed  her  from  the  circle 
which  they  now  formed  on  the  large  place  in  front  of  the 
church.  In  its  middle  stood  the  captain,  by  his  side  Anthony 
Wallner,  and  behind  him  Schropfel,  like  a  watch-dog  ready 
at  any  moment  to  tear  his  enemy. 

Anthony  lifted  his  arm  with  slow,  solemn  tranquillity, 
and  dropped  it  heavily  on  the  captain's  shoulder. 

"  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,"  he  said,  "  you  are  an  infamous 
villain,  for  you  pledged  your  word  to  my  daughter  that  you 
would  marry  her,  and  now  you  repudiate  her.  You  are  a 
liar  and  a  slanderer,  for  you  call  us  infamous  rebels  and 
traitors  merely  because  we  fought  for  our  country  and  our 
emperor.  Therefore,  you  have  sinned  against  God,  man,  and 
honor.  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,  you  must  die !  " 

u  Yes,  you  must  die  ! "  shouted  the  men  ;  and  they  took 
the  rifles  from  their  shoulders  and  loaded  them. 

Anthony  Wallner  and  Schropfel  stepped  back  from  the 
prisoner,  and  the  men  who  had  stood  behind  him  moved  out 
of  the  way.  Hence  the  circle,  which  had  hitherto  been  im- 
penetrable, now  opened.  Eliza  saw  it,  and  sprang  forward, 
regardless  of  the  sharpshooters,  who  were  just  raising  their 
muskets,  regardless  of  the  danger  menacing  herself.  Pale, 
with  panting  breath,  her  hands  lifted  to  heaven,  she  sped 
across  the  open  space  toward  the  captain,  and,  placing  herself 
before  him,  exclaimed,  with  flashing  eyes,  and  in  an  exulting 
voice  :  "  Now  shoot,  men,  shoot  !  For  I  tell  you  he  shall 
not  die  alone,  and  if  you  shoot  him,  you  shall  kill  me  too." 

"  Eliza  ! "  cried  her  father,  beseechingly,  and  withal 
angrily,  "  Eliza,  stand  back !  He  is  a  traitor,  and  must 
die." 

"  He  is  no  traitor,  nor  must  he  die  ;  and  if  you  assassinate 
him  you  shall  assassinate  me  too,"  cried  Eliza. 


230  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"  But,  Lizzie,  did  you  not  hear,  then,  how  he  repudiated 
and  abused  you,  the  faithless  Bavarian  ? "  asked  her  father. 

"  I  did,  and  I  forgive  him,"  she  said  gently,  "  for  I  know 
full  well  that  he  does  not  mean  what  he  says.  Are  you 
so  stupid,  men,  as  not  to  comprehend  that  he  cannot  act 
otherwise,  and  that  he  must  speak  thus  and  not  other- 
wise ?  Father,  you  said  I  was  a  true  daughter  of  the  Tyrol, 
and  that  you  loved  me  and  were  content  with  me.  I  pray 
you,  then,  dearest  father,  spare  the  life  of  my  betrothed  until 
to-morrow  morning,  and  have  him  taken  back  as  a  prisoner 
to  our  house  until  then.  Schropfel  may  watch  him,  and  not 
take  his  eyes  from  him.  Oh,  dear,  kind  friends,  brave  men, 
have  mercy  upon  me  !  Bear  in  mind  that  we  fought  together 
for  our  beloved  country,  and  that  you  told  me  you  would 
never  forget  me,  and  would  comply  with  my  wishes  when- 
ever you  could.  I  wish  now  that  you  spare  the  life  of  my  be- 
trothed only  until  to-morrow  morning." 

"  He  says  he  is  not  your  betrothed,  Lizzie,  and  will  never 
marry  you  !  "  exclaimed  the  men,  with  irresolute  faces,  and 
already  half  softened  by  the  beseeching,  touching  expression 
of  Eliza's  countenance. 

"  He  says  so,"  she  said,  casting  a  fiery  glance  on  the  cap- 
tain, who  stood  pale  and  motionless,  heard  every  word,  and 
was  unable  to  make  a  reply ;  "  he  says  so.  but  I  know  that  he 
loves  me,  and  will  be  joyously  ready  to-morrow  morning  to 
do  what  I  ask  of  him.  Father,"  she  added,  in  a  low  voice, 
seizing  Anthony  Wallner's  arm,  and  drawing  him  aside 
quickly,  "  do  you  not  comprehend,  then,  that  Ulrich  cannot 
speak  differently  ?  Would  not  his  king,  after  his  return  to 
Bavaria,  pronounce  him  a  traitor,  and  charge  him  with  hav- 
ing joined  us  and  the  Austrians,  and  with  having  convicted 
himself  by  marrying  a  Tyrolese  girl  ?  Be  wise,  dearest  father, 
and  see  how  shrewdly  Ulrich  manages  every  thing,  and  that 
he  acts  precisely  as  I  told  him.  It  must  look  as  though  he 
did  not  marry  me  of  his  own  accord,  but  compelled  by  you  ; 
otherwise  his  king  and  his  father,  who  is  a  very  proud  man, 
would  never  forgive  him.  But  when  they  hear  what  has  oc- 
curred here,  and  that  you  threatened  to  shoot  Ulrich  because 
he  would  not  marry  me,  the  gentlemen  at  Munich  will  under- 


TUB  CATASTROPHE.  231 

stand  that    Ulrich  had  to   take   me  in  order   to  save   his 
fife." 

"And  are  you  satisfied  to  have  it  look  as  though  he 
married  you  only  under  compulsion  ? "  asked  her  father, 
gloomily. 

"  I  am,  father,"  she  said,  "  for  I  love  my  betrothed  ;  and 
he  shall  not  become  unhappy  for  my  sake  and  forfeit  the 
good  graces  of  his  king-  and  his  father.  State  all  this  to  your 
friends,  dear  father,  and  tell  them  to  let  Ulrich  and  me  alone 
for  to-day ;  but  ask  them  all  to  come  to  our  house  to-morrow 
morning  and  accompany  the  bride  and  bridegroom  to  the 
church,  for  Ulrich  will  marry  me  at  nine  to-morrow  morn- 
ing." 

"  But,  Lizzie,  why  not  to-day  ? "  asked  her  father.  "  Why 
not  at  this  hour  ? " 

"  It  will  not  do,  father.  If  you  had  told  me  beforehand 
what  was  to  be  done  here,  I  should  have  told  you  at  once 
what  I  am  telling  you  now  :  it  will  not  do  for  a  young  girl 
to  appear  before  God's  altar  without  due  preparation,  and  as 
though  she  were  going  to  a  dance.  What  I  am  going  to  do  is 
something  very  serious,  and  I  will  do  it  seriously.  I  will 
pray  to  God  to-day,  go  to  confession,  and  have  a  great  many 
things  to  talk  over  with  Ulrich,  for  I  know  he  wants  me  to 
set  out  with  him  immediately  after  we  have  been  married,  and 
that  it  may  not  look  as  though  he  had  stayed  voluntarily  with 
you  in  our  valley.  I  must,  therefore,  pack  up  my  things  and 
prepare  for  departing  as  soon  as  we  have  been  married.  Let 
us  alone,  then,  dear  father,  to  day,  and  invite  the  men  to  come 
to-morrow  morning  and  attend  my  marriage  with  Captain 
Ulrich  von  Hohenberg.'' 

"Well,  then,  Lizzie,  I  will  comply  with  your  wishes,"  said 
Wallner,  after  a  short  reflection.  "  I  will  give  you  and  him 
time  until  to-rnorrow  morning  ;  but  I  tell  you,  my  daughter, 
if  he  continues  the  same  game  to-morrow,  and  talks  then  in 
the  same  strain  as  to-day,  I  shall  take  the  jest  in  dead  earnest, 
and  will  not  believe  a  word  of  all  you  say  to  excuse  him :  and 
then  his  life  is  forfeited,  and  he  must  die. — No,  Schrcpfcl, 
come  here  ;  take  the  prisoner  back  to  my  house,  and  confine 
him  where  you  have  kept  him  for  a  week  past.  But  I  tell 


232  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

you,  watch  him  well,  and  admit  no  one  to  him  except  Lizzie, 
and  prevent  him  from  talking  with  anybody  but  his  be- 
trothed. " 

"  I  will  do  so,  and  watch  him  as  I  have  done  up  to  this 
time,"  said  Schropfel,  gloomily.  "He  shall  not  talk  with 
anybody,  and  I  should  like  it  best  if  he  were  not  permitted 
either  to  speak  with  Lizzie,  for  I  do  not  believe  at  all  that  she 
is  his  betrothed." 

"  We  shall  see  to-morrow  morning,  when  the  marriage  is 
to  take  place,"  said  Anthony  Wallner. — "  Take  the  prisoner 
away." 

"  You  let  him  go  ? "  exclaimed  the  men.  "  You  spare  his 
life  ? " 

"  Only  until  to-morrow  morning,  because  Lizzie  begged 
me  to  do  so,"  said  Anthony  Wallner.  "  The  wedding  will 
take  place  at  nine  to-morrow  morning  ;  I  invite  you  all  to 
attend  it,  men,  and  we  shall  see  then.  To-morrow  morning 
there  will  be  a  wedding  or  an  execution.  Now  let  us  speak 
no  more  of  it  to-day  ;  let  us  forget  what  has  happened  to 
Anthony  Wallner  and  his  daughter  ;  and  let  us  bear  in  mind 
only  that  we  have  returned  after  delivering  our  dear  Tyrol 
from  the  French  and  Bavarians.  Let  us  go  now  to  my  house, 
where  my  wife  awaits  us  with  a  keg  of  excellent  wine.  Come, 
we  will  drink  to  the  welfare  of  our  fatherland,  and  to  the 
health  of  our  dear  Emperor  Francis  1 " 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

ELIZA  AND  ULRICH. 

SCHROPFEL,  the  faithful  servant,  had  taken  Ulrich  von 
Bohenberg,  in  obedience  to  Anthony  Wallner's  order,  back 
to  the  small  room  where  he  had  passed  the  last  eight  days  as 
a  prisoner.  Since  he  had  him  again  in  his  custody,  no  ad- 
ditional precautions  were  necessary,  for  Schropfel  knew  that 
he  could  rely  on  his  own  vigilance,  and  that  the  prisoner 
surely  would  never  escape  from  him.  Hence,  he  loosened 


ELIZA    AND   ULR1CH.  233 

the  cords  with  -which  he  had  been  tied,  and  removed  the 
handkerchief  with  which  he  had  been  gagged. 

"  If  it  affords  you  pleasure,''  said  Schropfel,  "  you  may  use 
your  mouth  and  inveigh  against  Lizzie  Wallner,  who  has 
saved  your  life  to-day  a  second  time,  and  whom  you  rewarded, 
like  a  genuine  Bavarian,  that  is  to  say,  with  black  ingratitude 
and  treachery.  But  I  advise  you  not  to  abuse  her  loud  enough 
for  me  to  hear  you  outside,  for  I  am  not  as  patient  as  Lizzie, 
and  I  shall  never  permit  you  to  abuse  and  treat  so  contemptu- 
ously the  noblest  and  best  girl  in  the  whole  country.  She 
acted  toward  you  to  day  as  a  good  Christian  and  a  brave  girl, 
for  you  insulted  her,  and  she  not  only  forgave  you,  but  pro- 
tected you,  and  saved  your  life.  And  now,  sir,  abuse  her  if 
you  cannot  help  it :  but  I  tell  you  once  more,  do  not  speak  too 
loud,  lest  I  should  hear  you." 

And  Schropfel  turned  with  a  last  threatening  glance  and 
left  the  room.  Outside  he  sat  down  on  the  cane-settee  which, 
for  the  past  eight  days,  had  been  his  seat  by  day  and  his  couch 
by  night ;  and  he  pressed  his  eye  to  the  middle  hole  which  he 
had  bored  in  the  door.  He  could  distinctly  see  and  watch  the 
captain  through  it.  Ulrich  had  sunk  down  on  a  chair  and 
leaned  his  head  on  his  hand  ;  he  lifted  his  sombre  eyes  to 
heaven,  and  there  was  a  strange  expression  of  emotion  and 
grief  upon  his  face.  But  he  seemed  not  to  intend  availing 
himself  of  the  permission  which  Schropfel  had  given  him  to 
abuse  Lizzie  Wallner,  for  his  lips  were  firmly  compressed,  and 
not  a  sound  fell  from  them.  Or  could  Schropfel,  perhaps,  not 
hear  him,  because  the  men  down  in  the  bar-room  were  laugh- 
ing and  shouting  so  merrily,  and  speaking  so  loudly  and  en- 
thusiastically of  the  Tyrol,  and  drinking  the  health  of  the  em- 
peror and  the  Archduke  John,  who  had  again  taken  posses- 
sion of  their  country  and  solemnly  proclaimed  that  he  would 
restore  the  ancient  and  liberal  constitution  of  the  Tyrolese  ? 

"  How  merry  they  are  down-stairs  !  "  growled  Schropfel. 
"  I  might  be  there  too  ;  I  have  amply  deserved  to  have  a  little 
exercise  and  pleasure.  Instead  of  that  I  must  sit  here  with  a 
dry  mouth  ;  and  if  this  goes  on  much  longer,  I  shall  surely 
grow  fast  to  my  settee.  And  all  that  for  the  sake  of  the 
mean,  perfidious  Bavarian,  who  is  so  utterly  dishonest,  and 


234  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

who  treated  our  beautiful,  uoble  Lizzie  in  so  infamous  a  man- 
ner !  Well,  if  I  were  in  the  girl's  place,  I  would  not  take  the 
perfidious  wretch  who  has  denied  her  twice  already.  Oh, 
how  rnerry  they  are  down-stairs  !  No  one  thinks  of  me  and 
gives  me  a  drop  of  wine  that  I  may  likewise  drink  to  the  wel- 
fare of  the  fatherland." 

But  Schropfel  was  mistaken  for  once,  for  quick  footsteps 
ascended  the  staircase  at  this  moment,  and  now  appeared  the 
lovely  head  of  Eliza  Wallner  above  the  railing,  then  her  whole 
form,  and  a  second  afterward  she  stood  in  the  passage  close 
before  Schropfel.  In  her  hands  she  held  a  plate  with  a  large 
piece  of  the  fine  cake  which  her  mother  herself  had  baked,  and 
a  large  glass  of  excellent  red  wine. 

"  There,  good,  faithful  Schropfel,"  she  said  in  her  gentle 
voice,  nodding  to  him  pleasantly,  and  handing  the  plate  to 
him,  u  eat  and  drink,  and  let  me  in  the  mean  time  go  and  see 
your  prisoner." 

"  What  do  you  want  of  him  ? "  asked  Schropfel,  moodily. 

"I  want  to  see  him  about  our  wedding  to-morrow,"  said 
Eliza  calmly  ;  "  and  you  know  father  has  given  me  permission 
to  go  to  him  and  speak  with  him." 

"  Yes,  he  did,  and  I  cannot  prevent  you  from  entering, 
which  I  would  do  otherwise,"  growled  Schropfel.  "Go  in, 
then,  but  do  not  stay  too  long ;  and  if  he  should  abuse  you 
again,  pray  call  me,  and  I  will  assist  you." 

"  Thank  you,  dear  Schropfel,"  said  Eliza,  "  but  pray  admit 
me  now." 

Schropfel  withdrew  his  settee  from  the  door  and  allowed 
Eliza  to  open  it,  and,  entering  to  the  prisoner,  closed  it  again 
behind  her. 

Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  still  sat,  as  Schropfel  had  seen 
him,  at  the  table,  leaning  his  head  on  his  hand  ;  only  he 
had  now  covered  his  eyes  with  his  hands,  and  long  sighs 
issued  from  his  breast.  He  seemed  not  to  know  that  the 
door  had  opened  and  some  one  had  entered,  or  rather  perhaps 
he  thought  it  was  only  Schropfel,  and  he  did  not  wish  to  take 
any  notice  of  him. 

Eliza  Wallner  stood  leaning  against  the  wall,  and  gazed  at 
him  a  long  time  with  a  wondrous  expression  of  love  and  grief ; 


ELIZA   AND    ULRICH  235 

for  a  moment  sne  laid  her  hand  on  her  bosom,  as  if  to  stifle 
the  cry  which  her  lips  were  already  about  to  utter  ;  then  she 
cast  a  beseeching  glance  toward  heaven,  and,  as  if  strength- 
ened by  this  mute  invocation,  she  stepped  forward. 

"  Captain  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  !  "  she  said,  in  her  sweet, 
melodious  voice. 

He  gave  a  start,  dropped  his  hand  from  his  face,  and 
jumped  up. 

"  Eliza  Wallner  !  "  he  said,  breathlessly  and  in  great  con- 
fusion. 

She  only  nodded  her  head,  and  fixed  her  clear,  piercing 
eyes  with  a  proud,  reproachful  expression  on  his  face  ;  he 
dropped  his  eyes  before  her  gaze.  On  seeing  this,  Eliza 
smiled,  and,  crossing  the  room  with  a  rapid  step,  went  to  the 
window. 

"  Come  here,  sir,  and  look  at  that.  What  do  you  see  yon- 
der?" 

Ulrich  stepped  to  her  and  looked  out.  "I  see  the  moun- 
tains and  the  summits  of  the  glaciers,"  he  said  ;  "and  in  the 
direction  in  which  you  are  pointing  your  finger,  I  see  also  my 
uncle's  castle." 

"  Do  you  see  also  the  balcony,  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  ? " 
she  asked,  somewhat  sarcastically. 

"I  do,"  he  replied,  almost  timidly. 

She  looked  at  him  with  the  proud  and  lofty  air  of  a  queen. 

"  When  we  met  last  and  spoke  with  each  other,  we  stood 
on  yonder  balcony,"  added  Eliza.  "  Do  you  remember  what 
we  said  at  the  time,  sir  ? " 

"  Eliza,"  he  murmured — 

"  You  remember  it  no  longer,"  she  interrupted  him,  "  but 
I  do.  On  yonder  balcony  you  swore  to  me  that  you  loved 
me  boundlessly  ;  and  when  I  laughed  at  you,  you  invoked 
heaven  and  earth  to  bear  witness  of  your  love.  Now,  sir, 
heaven  and  earth  gave  you  an  opportunity  to  prove  your  ar- 
dent love  for  Eliza  Wallner.  Did  you  profit  by  that  opportu- 
nity ? " 

"  No,"  he  said,  in  a  low  voice  ;  "  it  is  true,  I  acted  harshly 
and  cruelly  toward  you,  I  occasioned  you  bitter  grief,  I — " 

"I  do  not  complain,"  she  exclaimed,  proudly.     "  I  do  not 


236  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

speak  of  myself,  but  only  of  you.  You  swore  eternal  love  to 
me  at  that  time,  but  you  did  so  as  a  mendacious  Bavarian  ;  I 
did  not  believe  you,  and  knew  full  well  that  you  had  no 
honest  intentions  toward  me.  For  this  reason  I  laughed  at 
you,  and  said  the  peasant-girl  was  no  suitable  match  for  you, 
and  rejected  all  your  oaths  and  protestations  of  passionate 
love." 

"  But  afterwards,  to  punish  me  for  venturing  to  speak  of 
love  to  you,"  he  exclaimed,  impetuously,  "you  feigned  to 
have  believed  my  protestations  and  oaths  ;  and  although  you 
had  previously  laughed  at  me,  you  wished  now  to  become  my 
wife." 

"  No,"  she  said,  with  a  fiery  glance  of  disdain  ;  "  no,  after- 
wards I  only  wished  to  save  your  life.  You  have  utterly  mis- 
taken Eliza  Wallner's  character,  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg. 
You  thought  Lizzie  Wallner  would  deem  herself  exceedingly 
fortunate  to  become  the  wife  of  an  aristocratic  gentleman, 
even  though  he  took  her  only  by  compulsion  :  you  thought 
she  would  be  content  to  leave  the  Tyrol  by  the  side  of  the 
nobleman  who  disdained  her,  and  go  to  the  large  foreign  city 
of  Munich,  where  the  aristocracy  would  scorn  and  mock  the 
poor  Tyrolese  girl.  No,  sii*,  I  tell  you,  you  have  utterly  mis- 
taken my  character.  I  attach  no  value  whatever  to  your 
aristocratic  name,  nor  to  the  distinguished  position  of  your 
family  ;  when  I  marry,  I  shall  choose  a  husband  who  loves 
me  with  all  his  heart,  and  who  does  not  wish  to  live  without 
me,  and  takes  me  of  his  own  accord,  and  with  the  full  en- 
thusiasm of  a  noble  heart.  But  he  would  have  to  remain  in 
the  mountains  and  be  a  son  of  the  Tyrol  ;  for  my  heart  is  at- 
tached to  the  mountains,  and  never  would  I  or  could  I  leave 
them  to  remove  to  a  large  city.  You  see.  therefore,  Ulrich, 
that  a  marriage  with  you  would  by  no  means  appear  to  me  a 
very  fortunate  thing  ;  and,  moreover,  if  you  had  allowed  your- 
self to  be  compelled  to  marry  me,  had  you  not  refused  to  do 
so,  I  should  have  despised  you  all  my  life  long  as  a  miserable 
coward.  1  thank  you,  therefore,  for  resisting  the  men  so 
bravely,  for  I  should  have  been  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  despise 
you  ;  you  are  my  dear  Elza's  cousin,  and  I  myself  have  always 
liked  you  so  well." 


ELIZA   AND    ULRICH.  237 

"Eliza,'1  he  exclaimed,  impetuously,  "you  are  an  angel  of 
goodness  and  lenity,  and  I  stand  before  you  filled  with  shame 
and  grief.  You  say  you  always  liked  me  so  well,  and  I  treated 
you  with  so  much  ingratitude  and  disdain  !  Oh,  let  me  press 
this  dear  hand  to  my  lips,  let  me  thank  you  for  all  that  you 
have  done  for  me  ! " 

He  tried  to  seize  her  hand,  but  she  withdrew  it  from  him 
quickly. 

"  Captain  von  Hohenberg,"  she  said,  "  we  are  no  longer  on 
the  balcony  yonder  ;  nor  is  it  necessary  that  you  should  kiss 
my  hand.  That  may  be  suitable  when  you  have  fair  ladies 
from  the  city  before  you,  but  not  when  you  are  speaking  with 
a  Tyrolese  girl.  Besides,  I  did  not  tell  you  all  this  to  obtain 
praise  and  admiration  from  you,  but  to  prevent  you  from  tak- 
ing me  for  a  mean-spirited  girl,  respecting  herself  so  little  as 
to  try  to  get  a  husband  in  so  dishonorable  a  manner.  No,  by 
the  Holy  Virgin,  I  would  rather  die  and  be  buried  under  an 
avalanche  than  act  so  meanly  and  disgracefully.  But  when 
the  peasants  were  going  to  kill  you,  there  was  no  other  way 
for  me  to  save  your  life  than  that  of  saying  that  you  were  my 
betrothed,  and  that  was  the  only  reason  why  I  said  so.  How< 
ever,  I  had  no  idea  that  the  wedding  was  to  take  place  to-day, 
for  my  dear  father  had  concealed  it  from  me,  and  wished  to 
surprise  me,  because  he  really  believed  that  I  loved  you.  If  1 
had  known  beforehand  what  father  had  in  view,  I  should  have 
devised  some  way  of  preventing  him  from  carrying  his  plan 
into  effect.  But  I  swear  to  you,  I  had  no  inkling  of  it.  There- 
fore, I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  for  the  harsh  treatment  you  re- 
ceived at  their  hands  for  my  sake." 

"  Eliza,"  he  said,  mournfully,  "  your  words  rend  my  heart. 
Oh,  do  not  be  so  gentle  and  generous  !  Be  angry  with  me, 
call  me  an  infamous  villain,  who,  in  his  blindness,  did  not 
penetrate  your  magnanimity  and  heroic  self-sacrifice  ;  do  not 
treat  me  with  this  charming  mildness  which  crushes  me  ! 
You  acted  like  an  angel  toward  me,  and  I  treated  you  like  a 
heartless  barbarian." 

"  I  forgive  you  with  all  my  heart,  and  therefore  you  may 
forgive  yourself,"  she  said,  with  a  gentle  smile.  "  But  let  us 
speak  no  longer  of  the  past ;  let  us  think  only  of  the  future. 


238  AXDBEAS  HOFEB. 

You  heard  what  father  said  :  '  To-morrow  morning  there  will 
be  a  wedding  or  an  execution.'" 

"  Well,  then,  there  will  be  a  wedding  to-morrow  morning," 
exclaimed  Ulrich,  casting  an  ardent  glance  on  the  young 
girl ;  "  yes,  there  will  be  a  wedding  to-morrow  morning. 
Pray,  Eliza,  save  my  life  a  third  time  to-morrow  ;  become  my 
wife  ! " 

"  I  will  save  your  life,"  she  said,  throwing  back  her  head, 
proudly  ;  "  but  fortunately  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  become 
your  wife  for  that  purpose.  I  have  come  here  only  to  save 
you.  Sir,  you  must  escape  to-night." 

''  Escape,"  he  said,  shrugging  his  shoulders  ;  *'  escape,  when 
Schropfel  is  guarding  my  door  ? " 

"  Hush  !  do  not  speak  so  loud,  sir  ;  he  might  hear  you,  and 
he  must  know  nothing  aboiit  it.  Bend  your  head  closer  to 
me  and  listen  :  Go  to  bed  early  this  evening,  but  extinguish 
your  light  beforehand,  lest  Schropfel  should  see  any  thing. 
My  mother  told  me  Schropfel  had  bored  holes  in  the  door, 
and  was  watching  you  all  the  time.  Therefore,  go  to  bed 
early,  and  leave  your  window  open.  When  the  church-clock 
strikes  two,  listen  for  any  noise,  and  hold  yourself  in  readi- 
ness. That  is  all  I  have  to  say  to  you,  and  now  good -by." 

She  nodded  to  him,  and  turned  to  the  door. 

"  But  I,  Eliza — I  have  to  tell  you  many  things  yet,"  said 
Ulrich,  detaining  her.  "  Pray,  stay  yet  awhile  and  listen  to 
me!" 

"  No,  sir,  it  is  time  for  me  to  go  ;  my  mother  is  waiting  for 
me,"  replied  Eliza,  withdrawing  her  hand  from  his.  "  Good- 
by,  and  if  you  can  pray,  pray  to  God  to  protect  you  to- 
night ! " 

She  opened  the  door  hastily  and  stepped  out,  and  smiled 
at  Schropfel,  but  the  old  servant  looked  at  her  gloomily. 

"  You  stayed  a  long  while  with  the  Bavarian,"  he  growled. 

"  And  yet  you  did  not  eat  your  cake  nor  empty  your  glass 
in  the  mean  time."  said  Eliza,  with  a  smile.  "  You  looked 
again  through  the  hole  in  the  door,  did  you  not?  You  saw, 
then,  Schropfel,  that  we  stood  together  like  a  pair  of  sensible 
lovers." 

"  I  did  not  see  any  thing,"  exclaimed  Schropfel,  angrily. 


ELIZA   AND   ULRICH. 

"  for  you  placed  yourself  close  to  the  window,  and  my  hole 
does  not  enable  me  to  look  around  the  corner  ;  nor  did  I  hear 
any  thing,  for  you  whispered  as  softly  as  though  you  were  a 
couple  of  sparrows  which  understand  each  other  when  hilling 
and  cooing." 

"  Fie.  Schropfel  !  do  not  talk  such  nonsense,"  cried  Eliza, 
blushing  deeply.  "  Behave  yourself,  Schropfel,  and  I  will 
bring  you  another  bottle  of  wine  to-day,  and  beg  father  to  let 
you  come  down  to  supper  to-night,  and  permit  you  to  sleep  in 
your  bedchamber." 

"  I  shall  take  good  care  to  do  no  such  thing,"  growled 
Schropfel.  "  I  am  a  sentinel  here,  and  must  not  desert  my 
post." 

''  But  you  may  take  your  sentry-box  with  you,"  said  Eliza, 
pointing  to  his  settee.  "  When  a  soldier  remains  close  to  his 
sentry-box,  he  does  not  desert  his  post.  Well,  good-by, 
Schropfel  ;  the  sentinel  will  be  relieved  to-night." 

Eliza's  words  were  fulfilled.  Toward  nightfall  she  in- 
formed Schropfel  that  her  father  permitted  him  to  take  his 
supper  at  the  table  down-stairs,  and  afterward  go  to  bed  in 
his  own  chamber. 

"  Well,  and  who  is  to  watch  the  prisoner  in  the  mean 
time  ? "  asked  Schropfel. 

"  You  yourself  !  Look,  you  will  lock  the  door  and  put  the 
key  in  your  pocket.  In  addition,  you  may  put  that  heavy  box 
yonder  against  the  door  ;  then  you  will  be  sure  that  your  pris- 
oner cannot  get  out,  for  I  think  his  chamber  has  no  other  out- 
let." 

"  Yes,  it  has — the  window  ! " 

"  Do  you  think  the  Bavarian  has  wings  and  will  fly  out  of 
the  window  to-night  ? " 

"  It  is  true  he  cannot  fly  out,  nor  can  he  jump  out,  for  he 
would  simply  break  his  neck.  But,  nevertheless,  I  do  not  like 
this  arrangement  at  all.  Something  tells  me  that  it  will  turn 
out  wrong.  I  shall,  at  least,  unchain  the  watch-dog,  who  will 
prevent  the  Bavarian  from  escaping  through  the  window. 
For  the  rest,  I  feel  that  all  my  limbs  are  stiff,  and  that  I  have 
at  length  deserved  some  repose.  As  it  is  your  father's  will,  I 
will  go  down-stairs,  take  supper,  and  afterward  go  to  bed  in 


240  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

my  chamber.  If  any  thing  happens,  I  shall  wash  my  hands 
of  it." 

"  Wash  them  as  much  as  you  please,  Schropfel,  but  come 
down  to  supper,"  cried  Eliza,  hastening  down-stairs  with  the 
agility  of  a  bird. 

Schropfel  looked  after  her,  shaking  his  head  ;  he  then 
locked  the  door,  put  the  key  in  his  pocket,  and  placed  the 
heavy  iron-bound  box  against  the  door. 

"  And  before  going  to  bed  I  shall  unchain  Phylax,"  he 
said,  as  if  to  console  himself,  while  he  was  going  slowly  and 
stiffly  down-stairs. 

Schropfel  kept  his  word.  Weary  and  exhausted  as  he  was, 
he  waited  until  all  the  inmates  of  the  house  had  gone  to  bed, 
and  until  all  noise  had  died  away.  He  then  went  into  the 
yard  and  unchained  the  formidable  and  ill-humored  watch- 
dog. Phylax  howled  and  trembled  with  joy  and  delight  at 
being  released  ;  but  Schropfel  seized  his  ear  and  pointed  his 
other  hand  at  the  prisoner's  window,  which  was  brightly  il- 
luminated by  the  moon. 

"  Watch  that  window  well,  Phylax,"  he  said,  "  watch  it 
well ;  and  if  you  see  anything  suspicious,  call  me  at  once.  I 
shall  not  sleep  so  fast  as  not  to  hear  your  barking.  Watch  it 
well,  Phylax." 

The  dog  looked  up  to  the  window  as  if  he  had  understood 
the  order  ;  he  thei  fixed  his  clear,  lustrous  eyes  on  Schropfel, 
and  uttered  a  threau  nng  growl. 

"  Very  well,"  said  ochropfel,  "  you  have  understood  me. 
You  will  watch  him,  and  I  may  go  to  bed." 

He  dropped  the  ear  of  the  dog,  who  thereupon  bounded 
wildly  through  the  yard,  while  Schropfel  limped  back  into 
the  house.  He  was  heard  slowly  ascending  the  staircase  and 
opening  the  creaking  door  of  his  bed-chamber,  and  then  all 
became  silent. 

Night  spread  its  pall  over  the  weary,  the  sleepers,  and  the 
weeping  ;  the  moon  stood  with  silvery  lustre  high  in  the 
heavens,  and  illuminated  the  snow-clad  summits  of  the  moun- 
tains rising  in  the  rear  of  the  outbuildings  in  Wallner's  yard. 
Hour  after  hour  passed  by,  and  all  remained  silent ;  not  a 
sound  broke  the  holy  stillness  of  night. 


ELIZA  AND   ULRICH.  241 

Hour  after  hour  passed  by  ;  nothing  stirred  in  the  yard  ; 
the  dog  sat,  as  if  he  had  really  understood  Schropfel's  words, 
in  the  middle  of  the  yard,  and  stared  steadfastly  at  the  pris- 
oner's window.  Phylax  watched,  as  Schropfel  had  gone  to 
bed  ;  Phylax  watched,  and  did  not  avert  his  eyes  from  the 
window  on  which  his  whole  attention  seemed  to  be  con- 
centrated, for  he  did  not  stir,  he  did  not  even  disturb  the 
flies  buzzing  round  his  ears  ;  he  was  all  attention  and  vigi- 
lance. All  at  once  something  occurred  that  had  never  hap- 
pened to  him  during  his  nocturnal  service  ;  a  wondrous,  appe- 
tizing scent  was  wafted  to  him  on  the  wings  of  the  night- 
breeze.  Phylax  averted  his  eyes  for  a  moment  from  the  win- 
dow and  glanced  searchingly  round  the  yard.  Nothing  stirred 
in  it,  but  this  wonderful  scent  of  a  roast  sausage  still  impreg- 
nated the  air,  and  seemed  to  grow  even  stronger  and  more 
tempting ;  for  Phylax  pricked  up  his  ears,  raised  his  nose, 
snuffing  eagerly  to  inhale  the  scent,  and  rose  from  the  ground. 
He  glanced  again  round  the  yard,  and  then  advanced  a  few 
steps  toward  the  window  yonder  on  the  side  of  the  house. 
This  window  was  open,  and  the  keen  nose  of  the  dog  told  him 
that  the  appetizing  scent  had  come  from  it.  All  at  once,  how- 
ever, Phylax  stood  still,  as  if  remembering  his  master's  orders, 
and  looked  again  toward  the  prisoner's  window. 

At  this  moment  a  low  voice  called  him  :  "  Phylax  !  come 
here,  Phylax  ! " 

The  dog  hesitated  no  longer  ;  he  had  recognized  the  voice 
of  his  friend  and  playmate,  Eliza  Wallner.  With  two  tre- 
mendous bounds  he  was  at  the  window,  and,  raising  himself 
up,  laid  his  forepaws  on  the  window-sill,  and  stretched  out  his 
head,  waiting  longingly  for  the  appetizing  sausage. 

"  Come,  Phylax,  come,"  whispered  Eliza  :  and  she  stepped 
back  with  the  sausage  into  the  interior  of  the  room.  "  Come 
to  me,  Phylax.  come  to  me." 

The  temptation  was  too  strong.  Phylax  hesitated  no 
longer  ;  he  moved  back  a  step,  and  leaped  through  the  win- 
dow into  the  room. 

The  window  was  closed  behind  him  immediately,  and  the 
four-footed  custodian  of  the  prisoner  was  now  a  prisoner  him- 
self. 


242  ANDREAS  EOFER. 

The  yard  was  empty  now.  Schropfel  slept  soundly  in  his 
bed-chamber  up-stairs,  and  Phylax  was  revelling  in  epicurean 
joys  in  the  larder. 

The  yard  was  empty  now,  but  not  long,  for  the  door  of  the 
house  opened  noiselessly,  and  a  human  form  stepped  out. 
For  a  moment  it  stood  still  near  the  door,  and  two  voices  were 
heard  whispering  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Good-by,  dearest  mother,"  said  one  voice.  "  It  is  time 
now,  I  must  go." 

"  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  will  protect  you,  dear  Lizzie," 
said  the  other  voice  :  "  for  that  which  you  are  going  to  do  is 
right  and  noble  ;  and  father  himself  will  see  before  long  that 
you  did  right.  Go,  Lizzie,  and  return  safely." 

"  I  shall  be  back  at  eight  in  the  morning,"  whispered  Lizzie. 
"Until  then,  you  must  say  nothing  about  it,  dear  mother, 
but  tell  father  I  wished  to  be  alone  in  my  chamber  till  the 
wedding-hour.  Good-by  until  then." 

She  imprinted  a  kiss  on  her  mother's  lips,  and  hastened 
into  the  yard.  The  door  was  closed  softly.  At  this  moment 
the  church-clock  struck  two. 

Eliza  glided  noiselessly  across  the  yard  toward  the  large 
ladder  leaning  against  the  stable.  She  lifted  it  up  with  vig- 
orous hands,  canned  it  across  the  yard,  and  placed  it  against 
the  dwelling-house,  so  that  its  top  reached  the  open  window 
of  the  prisoner.  She  examined  if  the  ladder  stood  firm,  laid  a 
few  stones  at  its  foot,  to  prevent  it  from  sliding,  and  then  as- 
cended it  with  cat  like  agility,  carrying  a  small  bundle  on  her 
arm,  while  she  had  put  down  another  in  the  yard. 

Now  she  had  reached  the  captain's  window. 

"  Are  you  awake,  sir  ? "  she  asked,  in  a  low  voice. 

"I  am,  Eliza,"  whispered  a  voice  inside.  "I  have  been 
awake  and  waiting  for  you  an  hour." 

"Take  this,  sir,"  she  said,  handing  the  bundle  into  the 
window.  "It  is  a  suit  of  clothes  which  you  must  put  on.  It 
is  my  father's  holiday  dress,  for  you  must  not  wear  the  Bava- 
rian uniform  now.  You  must  put  up  for  a  few  days  with 
being  disguised  as  a  Tyrolese.  Put  it  on  quickly,  and  then 
wrap  up  your  uniform  in  the  blanket  in  which  I  brought  the 
suit  of  clothes.  But  make  haste,  and  when  you  are  ready, 


ELIZA  AND  ULRICH.  243 

descend  the  ladder,  and  come  down  into  the  yard,  where  I 
shall  await  you.  Bring  the  package  with  the  uniform  with 
you,  and,  above  all  things,  make  haste." 

She  gave  the  captain  no  time  for  reply,  but  glided  rapidly 
and  noiselessly  down  the  ladder.  On  arriving  in  the  yard, 
she  took  the  haversack  which  she  had  left  there,  hung  it  over 
her  shoulder,  and  took  up  the  rifle.  Then  she  seated  herself 
quietly  on  a  large  log  close  to  the  ladder,  and  looked  up  to 
the  moon,  which  illuminated  her  face  and  her  whole  form. 
Her  face  wore  a  wonderfully  calm  expression  ;  only  round 
her  crimson  lips  quivered  at  times  something  like  hidden 
grief,  and  a  tear  glistened  in  her  large,  dark  eyes.  But  when 
this  tear  rolled  down  her  cheek  slowly,  Eliza  shook  her  head 
indignantly,  and  brushed  it  away  with  her  hand. 

"Foolish  girl  ! ''  she  murmured,  ''how  can  you  weep  now  ? 
You  must  bravely  take  your  heart  in  your  hands  now,  and 
hold  it  so  firmly  that  it  can  neither  cry  nor  tremble.  You 
must  be  proud  and  stiff,  and  never  forget  what  is  due  to  your 
honor,  and  what  you  owe  to  your  friend  Elza.  Therefore,  do 
not  weep,  but  be  a  brave  Tyrolese  girl.  To-morrow  night  you 
may  weep  in  your  chamber,  for  nobody  will  see  you  there  ; 
but  not  to-night — no,  no,  not  to-night !  " 

She  shook  her  head  violently,  forced  herself  to  smile,  and 
gazed  pleasantly  up  to  the  moon.  "  God  bless  thee,  golden, 
rapid  wanderer  ! "  she  said.  "  Thou  shalt  accompany  us  to- 
night, and  pray,  dear  moon,  send  all  clouds  home,  and  remain 
as  bright  and  clear  as  now  ;  for  our  route  is  a  dangerous  one, 
and  if  thou  dost  not  help  us,  we  may  easily  fall  into  an  abyss, 
and —  Hush,  hush,  he  is  coming.'' 

She  rose  and  looked  up  to  the  window,  whence  the  captain 
emerged  at  this  moment,  and  appeared  on  the  ladder. 

"Throw  down  your  package,  sir — I  will  catch  it,"  whis- 
pered Eliza. 

"  Thank  you,  I  can  carry  it  myself,"  said  Ulrich,  in  a  low 
voice  ;  and  he  was  soon  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  and  standing 
in  the  yard  close  to  Eliza. 

"  Now  come,"  she  said  ;  "  tread  lightly,  and  do  not  speak, 
but  go  softly  behind  me." 

She  left  him  no  time  for  reply,  but  walked  across,  opened 


244  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

the  door  of  the  small  shed,  which  was  ajar,  went  quickly 
through  it,  and  passed  through  the  opposite  door  ink)  the 
orchard  lying  behind  it.  She  stood  still  in  front  of  the  door 
of  the  shed,  and  when  Ulrich  had  emerged  from  it,  she  locked 
it,  and  put  the  key  into  her  pocket. 

"  Now  let  us  walk  as  fast  as  possible,  sir,"  she  whispered. 
"  We  must  walk  for  three  hours.  Keep  your  eyes  on  me,  and 
follow  me  wherever  I  go.'' 

"  I  will  follow  you,  Eliza,"  said  the  captain,  earnestly, 
''  wherever  you  go.  You  see  I  have  implicit  confidence  in 
you,  for  I  do  not  even  ask  whither  you  intend  to  conduct  me, 
or  what  you  wish  to  do  with  me.  I  place  my  life  and  my 
future  in  your  hands, and  shall  do  whatever  you  want  me  to." 

"  It  will  be  the  best  for  you,"  she  said,  nodding  her  head 
slightly.  ''Now  come." 

And  with  the  quick,  firm  step  peculiar  to  the  Tyrolese,  she 
advanced  through  the  garden,  out  of  the  gate,  and  into  the 
narrow  path  leading  through  the  valley  and  up  to  the  moun- 
tains rising  on  the  opposite  side.  The  moon  still  shone 
brightly  upon  the  valley,  and  illuminated  the  two  fonus  rap- 
idly walking  behind  each  other,  casting  their  long,  dark 
shadows  on  the  side  of  the  road. 

Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  saw  in  the  moonlight  that  Eliza 
was  carrying  the  haversack  and  rifle  ;  he  therefore  advanced 
quickly  until  he  stood  by  her  side,  and  laid  his  hand  on  her 
arm. 

"  Eliza,"  he  said,  vehemently,  "  pray  let  me  carry  the  rifle 
and  the  haversack  ;  let  me  take  your  burden  upon  myself." 

She  looked  at  him  with  a  singular  expression.  "  Every  one 
has  to  carry  his  own  burden,"  she  said  ;  "you  have  yours, and 
I  have  mine." 

"  But  what  are  the  arms  for,  Eliza  ?  You  have  armed  your- 
self against  me?'' 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders  carelessly.  "  Were  I  afraid  of 
you,  I  would  not  allow  you  to  walk  behind  me.  But  grant 
me  one  request,  will  you  ? " 

"  Speak,  Eliza,  and  whatever  it  may  be,  I  will  comply  with 
it." 

"Well,  then,  sir,  be  so  kind  as  not  to  speak  with  me. 


ELIZA   AND   ULRICH.  245 

Speaking  exhausts  us  and  makes  us  absent-minded.  We 
have  a  long  march  before  us,  and  must  save  our  breath,  and 
devote  our  whole  attention  to  the  route  ;  for  it  will  lead  us 
over  the  narrow  paths  of  the  chamois-hunters,  and  a  single 
false  step  may  hurl  us  into  an  abyss.  Therefore,  sir,  pray  do 
not  address  me  until  I  speak  to  you.? 

"  I  will  obey,"  said  Ulrich,  humbly.  "  Lead  the  way ;  I 
will  follow." 

She  nodded  to  him,  and  advanced  through  the  narrow 
valley.  The  road  soon  became  steeper,  and  led  them  past 
precipices,  from  one  rock  to  another,  all  of  which  were  spanned 
by  narrow  planks,  under  which  unfathomable  chasms  yawned. 
Then  it  led  through  thickets  of  shrubbery  and  pine-forests,  or 
down  precipitous  slopes,  and  over  small  fragments  of  rock, 
which  gave  way  at  every  step,  and  rolled  into  the  depth. 
Eliza  suddenly  stood  still  and  broke  the  silence  for  the  first 
time. 

"  You  must  not  go  behind  me  here,  sir,"  she  said,  "  for 
the  loose  stones  would  not  permit  you  to  advance.  Come 
to  me,  and  give  me  your  hand.  We  must  walk  side  by 
side." 

He  was  immediately  by  her  side,  and  took  her  hand. 
"  May  I  speak  now,  Eliza  ? "  he  asked. 

"  No,"  she  said,  imperatively,  "  we  have  no  time  for  chat- 
ting. Forward ! " 

And  they  continued  ascending  the  mountain.  The  valley, 
and  even  the  mountain-forest,  lay  already  deep  under  them. 
Only  scattered  and  stunted  trees  stood  here  and  there,  and 
finally  even  these  disappeared  entirely.  The  moon  commenced 
paling  in  the  heavens,  and  yet  it  did  not  become  darker,  for 
the  gray  twilight  was  lit  up  at  times  with  a  purple  lustre  ;  the 
small,  scudding  clouds  began  to  turn  red  ;  the  pale,  foggy 
mountain-peaks  colored,  and  a  strange  whispering  passed 
through  the  air. 

Now  they  had  reached  the  summit,  and  the  peak  on  which 
they  were  standing  afforded  them  a  strikingly  beautiful  view. 

"  This  is  the  place  where  we  may  rest,"  said  Eliza,  drawing 
a  deep  breath. 

"  And  may  I  speak  now,  Eliza  ? "  asked  Ulrich. 


246  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  No,"  she  said  ;  "  do  you  not  see  that  God  is  speaking 
now  ? " 

And  she  pointed  to  the  part  of  the  horizon  which,  radiant 
in  its  crimson  lustre,  lay  at  the  end  of  the  lovely  valley  open- 
ing before  them.  Gazing  at  it,  Eliza  sank  noiselessly  down 
on  the  fragment  of  a  rock,  and  clasping  her  hands  on  her 
knees,  she  contemplated  the  glorious  spectacle  by  which  God 
speaks  to  man  every  morning. 

The  valley  was  still  wrapped  in  the  gloom  of  twilight,  but 
behind  the  flat  and  gently-rounded  mountains  yonder  rose 
the  flaming  glow  of  radiant  crimson,  and  sent  a  few  purple 
clouds  as  heralds  of  the  approaching  majesty  into  the  azure 
sky.  A  rosy  hue  covered  the  glaciers  of  the  Venediger  and 
Gross-Glockner,  which  looked  down  in  proud  majesty  on  the 
mountains  bordering  the  valley,  and  which  had  hitherto 
wrapped  their  summits  in  veils  of  glistening  silver.  On  be- 
holding the  divine  majesty  of  the  sun,  they  dropped  their 
veils,  their  summits  crimsoned  and  loomed  up  to  the  sky  in 
dazzling  splendor.  The  rays  gilding  them  shed  a  lustre  on 
the  lower  wooded  mountains,  greeted  the  spires  of  the  churches 
rising  amidst  the  villages,  dissipated  the  mist  which  had  hither- 
to filled  the  valley,  and  converted  the  waters  of  the  foaming 
Isel,  meandering  through  the  valley,  into  liquid  gold.  The 
gloom  entirely  disappeared,  and  the  whole  landscape  was  radi- 
ant in  its  morning  beauty.  God  had  willed  that  there  should 
be  light,  and  the  earth  lay  smiling  and  surpassingly  beautiful 
under  the  first  glowing  rays  of  the  sun. 

Eliza  gazed  with  a  rapt  smile  upon  the  sublime  scene  ;  the 
clouds  had  disappeared  from  her  brow  also,  and  the  gloom 
had  vanished  from  her  eyes. 

"  Oh,  how  beautiful  is  the  world  !  how  beautiful  is  my 
dear  Tyrol  !  "  she  exclaimed,  fervently.  "  I  greet  you,  beloved 
mountains  guarding  our  frontiers  !  I  greet  you,  Gross-Glock- 
ner and  Venediger  !  Yes,  gaze  upon  the  Tyrol,  for  now  you 
may  rejoice  over  it  !  The  enemy  is  no  longer  in  the  country, 
and  I  am  bringing  you  the  last  Bavarian  who  is  still  here, 
that  you  may  send  him  across  the  border.  Sir,"  she  added, 
turning  her  face,  illuminated  by  the  sun,  slowly  to  the  young 
man,  who  had  not  contemplated  the  sun,  but  only  her  face, 


ELIZA  AND   ULRICH.  247 

"  we  must  part  here.  I  only  intended  to  conduct  you  hither, 
to  the  Kaiser  Thorl.  You  will  now  descend  to  the  village  of 
Kals,  which  you  see  in  the  valley  yonder.  Look,  back  there, 
its  red  roofs  are  rising  out  of  the  green  shrubbery.  You  will 
go  to  the  inn  there,  and  give  this  letter  to  Lebrecht  Panzl,  the 
innkeeper.  He  is  my  mother's  brother,  and  she  writes  him 
in  this  letter  to  give  you  a  reliable  guide,  who  is  to  conduct 
you  over  the  Pruschler  Thorl  and  the  Katzenstein  to  Heili- 
genblut.  You  will  reach  Heiligenblut  in  seven  hours.  Its 
inhabitants  speak  Bavarian  German  ;  your  Bavarian  dialect 
will  not  be  suspicious  to  them,  and  you  will  easily  find  there 
a  guide  to  conduct  you  wherever  you  wish  to  go.  You  will 
find  some  food  for  to-day  in  the  haversack  here,  and  also 
some  money,  and  powder  and  lead.  Take  it,  sir  ;  here  is  the 
rifle,  and  here  the  haversack.  Unless  you  have  them  with 
you,  no  one  will  take  you  for  a  genuine  Tyrolese.  There. 
Put  you*'  clothes  into  the  sack,  you  can  carry  them  better 
that  way  ;  hang  the  rifle  round  your  shoulder,  and  then 
adieu  ! " 

"And  you  think,  Eliza,  I  can  accept  all  this  kindness  and 
magnanimity  ? "  cried  Ulrich,  vehemently;  "  you  think  I  can 
accept  at  your  hands  food,  money — nay,  more,  my  life,  my 
honor,  and  leave  you  with  a  cold  '  thank  you,'  after  denying 
and  insulting  you  in  the  despair  of  my  wounded  military 
honor?  No,  Eliza,  you  have  mistaken  my  character.  I  will 
not  go,  I  will  not  leave  you.  I  followed  you  here  to  see  how 
far  your  magnanimity  and  noble  self-abnegation  would  go  ; 
but  now  I  shall  return  with  you  to  Windisch-Matrey.  Your 
father  invited  to  the  wedding  the  men  who  wished  to  kill  me 
yesterday ;  they  will  await  us  at  the  church  at  nine  this  morn- 
ing, and  they  shall  not  wait  in  vain.  Come,  Eliza,  let  us  re- 
turn to  Windisch-Matrey :  for  all  your  kindness  and  magna- 
nimity I  shall  give  you  the  only  thing  I  have  to  give,  my 
name.  You  will,  you  shall  become  my  wife  !  Come,  your 
father  and  your  friends  await  us  at  the  church  ;  I  will  con- 
duct you  thither  and  to  the  altar." 

"  I  will  not  do  it,"  she  exclaimed  proudly ;  "  for,  as  sure  as 
there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  I  should  say  '  no '  before  the  altar, 
and  reject  your  hand. " 


248  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Well,  then,  do  that,"  he  said,  gently  ;  "  I  have  deserved 
this  humiliation  ;  I  owe  you  an  opportunity  to  wreak  your 
vengeance  on  me." 

"  I  do  not  want  to  avenge  myself.  I  have  sworn  to  myself 
and  to  my  dear  Elza  to  save  you,  and  I  will.  Go,  sir  ; 
time  is  fleeting,  and  you  have  a  march  of  seven  hours  before 
you." 

"  No,  I  will  not  go,"  cried  Ulrich,  vehemently ;  "  I  cannot 
go,  for  I  love  you,  Eliza.  Oh,  I  have  loved  you  a  long  while, 
but  my  haughty  heart  revolted  at  this  love,  and  would  not 
yield  to  it ;  and  yet  I  was  deeply,  passionately  enamoured  of 
you.  But  my  heart  did  not  know  itself,  it  believed  at  last 
that  it  might  hate  you,  when  all  at  once  your  generosity,  len- 
ity, and  magnanimity  dissipated  all  mists  concealing  my  heart 
from  my  eyes,  and  I  perceived  how  passionately  I  loved  you. 
Oh,  Eliza,  beloved  girl,  do  not  turn  from  me  !  Give  me  your 
hand  ;  let  us  go  home  ;  accept  my  hand,  become  my  wife  ! 
Love  beseeches  of  you  now  what  pride  refused  to  you  before  : 
accept  my  hand,  my  name  !  Let  us  descend  into  the  valley, 
go  to  the  church,  and  be  married." 

She  shook  her  head  slowly.  "  I  have  already  told  you," 
she  said,  "  that  I  should  say  '  no '  before  the  altar.  We  do 
not  belong  together.  You  are  a  nobleman,  and  I,  as  you 
have  often  called  me  in  your  anger,  am  a  peasant  girl  ;  you 
are  a  Bavarian,  and  I,  thank  God,  am  again  an  Austrian.  We 
do  not  belong  together,  and  I  believe  it  would  not  behoove  you 
to  appear  with  me  now  before  the  altar  and  marry  me.  For 
every  one  would  think  you  took  me  only  to  save  your  life, 
and  your  honor  would  be  lost,  not  only  in  Bavaria,  but  also 
here  among  us.  The  brave  men  would  despise  you,  and  con- 
tempt— I  felt  it  when  you  looked  at  me  so  disdainfully  yester- 
day— is  worse  than  death.  Go,  therefore,  my  dear  sir  ;  your 
honor  requires  it." 

''  Well,  then,  you  are  right  ;  I  will  go.  I  see  that  I  must 
not  apply  for  your  hand  at  this  juncture.  But  I  shall  return 
so  soon  as  peace  is  restored  to  the  country,  and  when  all  these 
troubles  are  over.  Promise  me,  Eliza,  that  you  will  wait  for 
ine  and  not  forget  me.  For  I  swear  to  you,  I  shall  return  and 
marry  you,  in  spite  of  the  whole  world." 


ELIZA   AND   ULRICH.  249 

"  You  will  not,"  she  said,  shaking  her  head,  "  for  I  shall 
not  take  you.  I  do  not  love  you." 

"  Eliza,"  he  cried,  seizing  her  hand  impetuously,  and  gazing 
deep  into  her  eyes,  "  you  are  just  as  much  mistaken  as  I  was 
myself.  I  loved  you  a  long  time  without  knowing  it,  and 
thus,  sweet  one,  you  love  me  too  !  " 

"  No,"  she  exclaimed,  vehemently,  and  turning  very  pale, 
"  no,  T  do  not  love  you  !  " 

"  Yes,  you  do,"  he  said,  tenderly.  "  I  felt  it,  and  knew  it 
by  the  tone  in  which,  stepping  before  me,  and  shielding  me 
with  your  body,  you  exclaimed  yesterday,  '  If  you  shoot  him, 
you  shall  kill  me  too.'  Pity  and  compassion  do  not  speak 
thus  ;  only  love  has  such  tones  of  anguish,  despair,  and  hero- 
ism. I  felt  it  at  that  moment,  and  the  blissful  delight  which 
filled  my  heart  on  recognizing  it,  made  me  at  length  conscious 
of  my  own  love.  I  confessed  to  myself  that  I  never  should 
be  able  to  love  any  other  woman  on  earth,  and  never  would 
marry  any  other  woman  than  you.  Oh,  Eliza,  let  us  no 
longer  resist  the  happiness  that  is  in  store  for  us.  Let  the 
whole  past  be  buried  behind  us.  Let  the  future  be  ours,  and 
with  it  love  and  happiness  ! " 

She  shook  her  head  slowly.  "  You  have  read  badly  in  my 
heart,"  she  said  ;  "  you  do  not  understand  the  letters  written 
in  it,  and  what  you  spell  from  it  is  false.  I  do  not  love  you, 
and  would  never  consent  to  become  your  wife.  Let  us  drop 
the  subject.  We  two  can  never  be  husband  and  wife,  but  we 
may  remember  each  other  as  good  friends.  And  so,  sir,  I  will 
always  remember  you,  and  shall  be  glad  to  hear  that  you  are 
well  and  happy.  But  let  us  say  no  more  about  it,  and  go. 
You  have  a  march  of  seven  hours  before  you  ;  I  must  be  at 
home  again  by  eight  o'clock,  in  order  not  to  keep  the  men 
waiting.  Let  us  part,  therefore." 

"  Well,  then,"  sighed  Ulrich,  "  it  is  your  will,  and  we  must 
part,  but  not  forever.  I  swear,  by  God  Almighty  and  my 
love,  I  shall  return  when  the  war  is  over,  and  when  the  quar- 
rels of  the  nations  are  settled.  I  shall  return  to  ask  you  if 
you  will  be  mine,  my  beloved  wife,  and  if  you  will  at  last 
crown  my  love  with  happiness.  Hush,  do  not  contradict  me, 
and  do  not  tell  me  again  that  you  do  not  love  me.  I  hope  in 
17 


250  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

the  future,  and  we  shall  see  whether  it  will  bring  me  happi- 
ness or  doom  me  to  despair.  Farewell,  then,  Eliza  ;  and  if 
you  will  yet  give  to  the  poor  wanderer,  to  whom  you  have 
given  life,  food,  money,  and  clothes,  a  priceless  treasure,  a  tal- 
isman that  will  shield  him  from  all  temptations  of  the  world, 
then  give  me  a  kiss  !  " 

"  No,  sir  ;  an  honest  Tyrolese  girl  never  kisses  any  man 
but  the  one  whose  wife  she  is  to  be.  You  see,  therefore,  that 
I  cannot  give  you  a  kiss.  Go,  sir.  But  have  you  no  commis- 
sions to  give  me  for  your  uncle  and  my  dear  Elza  ? " 

u  Greet  them  both  ;  tell  them  that  I  love  you,  Eliza,  and 
that  you  rejected  my  proposals." 

"  That  does  not  concern  anybody,  and  only  we  two  and  the 
good  God  shall  know  it,  but  no  one  else.  But,  sir,  give  me  a 
souvenir  for  Elza  ;  it  will  gladden  her  heart." 

UI  have  nothing  to  give  her,"  he  said,  shrugging  his 
shoulders. 

She  pointed  to  the  crimson  Alpine  roses  blooming  at  their 
feet  amidst  the  grass  and  moss. 

"  Gather  some  of  these  flowers,  and  give  them  to  me,"  she 
said  ;  "  I  will  take  them  to  Elza,  and  tell  her  that  you  gathered 
the  flowers  for  her. " 

He  knelt  down,  gathered  a  handful  of  Alpine  roses,  and 
tied  them  together  with  a  few  blades  of  grass.  "  I  would,"  he 
said,  still  kneeling  in  the  grass,  "  they  were  myrtles  that  I 
was  gathering  for  you,  Eliza,  for  you,  my  affianced  bride,  and 
that  you  would  accept  them  at  my  hands  as  the  sacred  gift  of 
love.  There,  take  the  bouquet  for  Elza,  and  give  it  to  her 
with  my  greetings." 

She  stretched  out  her  hand  to  take  it ;  but  Uirich,  instead 
of  giving  it  to  her,  pressed  the  bouquet  to  his  lips,  and  im- 
printed an  ardent  kiss  on  the  flowers  ;  then  only  did  he  hand 
it  to  Eliza.—"  Now,  Eliza,"  he  said,  "  take  it.  You  refused  me 
a  kiss,  but  you  will  carry  my  glowing  kiss  home  with  you, 
and  with  it  also  my  heart.  I  shall  come  back  one  day  to  de- 
mand of  you  your  heart  and  my  kiss.  Farewell  !  It  is  your 
will,  and  so  I  must  go.  I  do  not  say,  forget  me  not ;  but  I 
shall  return,  and  ask  you  then  :  '  Have  you  forgotten  me  ? 
Will  you  become  my  wife  ? '  Until  then,  farewell  I " 


ELIZA   AND   ULRICH.  251 

He  gazed  at  her  with  a  long  look  of  love  and  tenderness  ; 
she  avoided  meeting  his  look,  and  when  he  saw  this,  a  smile, 
radiant  as  sunshine  and  bliss,  illuminated  his  features. 

"  Go,  sir,1'  she  said,  in  a  low  voice,  averting  her  face. 

"  I  am  going,  Eliza,'1  he  exclaimed.     "  Farewell  !  " 

He  seized  her  hand  impetuously,  imprinted  on  it  a  burning 
kiss  before  she  was  able  to  prevent  him,  dropped  it,  and  turned 
to  descend  the  slope  with  a  slow  step. 

Eliza  stood  motionless,  and  as  if  fascinated  ;  she  gazed  after 
him,  and  followed  with  an  absorbed  look  his  tall,  noble  form, 
descending  the  mountain,  surrounded  by  a  halo  of  sunshine. 

All  at  once  Ulrich  stood  still  and  turned  to  her.  *'  Eliza," 
he  shouted,  "  did  you  call  me  ?  Shall  I  return  to  you  ? " 

She  shook  her  head  and  made  a  violent  gesture  indicating 
that  he  should  not  return,  but  said  nothing  ;  the  words  choked 
in  her  breast. 

He  waved  his  hand  to  her,  turned  again,  and  continued  de- 
scending the  slope. 

Eliza  looked  after  him  ;  her  face  turned  paler  and  paler, 
and  her  lips  quivered  more  painfully.  Once  they  opened  as 
if  to  call  him  back  with  a  cry  of  anguish  and  love  ;  but  Eliza, 
pressing  her  hand  violently  upon  her  mouth,  forced  the  cry 
back  into  her  heart,  and  gazed  down  on  Ulrich's  receding 
form. 

Already  he  had  descended  half  the  slope  ;  now  he  reached 
the  edge  of  the  forest,  and  alas  !  disappeared  in  the  thicket. 

Eliza,  uttering  a  loud  cry,  knelt  down,  and  tears,  her  long- 
restrained,  scalding  tears,  streamed  like  rivers  down  her 
cheeks.  She  lifted  her  arms,  her  clasped  hands,  to  heaven, 
and  murmured  with  quivering  lips  :  "  Protect  him,  my  God, 
for  Thou  knowest  how  intensely  I  love  him  !  " 

She  remained  a  long  time  on  her  knees,  weeping,  praying, 
struggling  with  her  grief  and  her  love.  But  then  all  at  once 
she  sprang  to  her  feet,  brushed  the  tears  from  her  eyes,  and 
drew  a  deep  breath. 

"  I  must  and  will  no  longer  weep,"  she  said  to  herself  in  a 
loud,  imperative  voice.  "  Otherwise  they  would  see  that  I 
had  been  weeping,  and  no  one  must  know  that.  I  must  de- 
scend in  order  to  be  at  home  in  time,  and  then  I  will  tell 


252  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

father  and  the  other  men  ihai  Ulrich  never  was  my  betrothed, 
and  that  I  said  so  only  to  save  his  life.  They  will  forgive  me 
for  helping  him  to  escape  when  I  tell  them  that  I  never  loved 
him  nor  would  have  taken  him,  because  he  is  a  Bavarian,  but 
that  I  saved  him  because  he  is  a  near  relative  of  my  dear  Elza. 
And  after  telling  and  explaining  all  this  to  the  men,  I  shall 
go  to  Elza,  give  her  the  flowers,  and  tell  her  that  Ulrich  sent 
them  to  her,  and  that  his  last  word  was  a  love-greeting  for 
her,  God,  forgive  me  this  falsehood  !  But  Elza  loves  him, 
and  it  will  gladden  her  heart.  She  will  preserve  this  bouquet 
to  her  wedding-day,  and  she  will  not  notice  that  I  kept  one 
flower  from  it  for  myself.  It  is  the  flower  which  he  kissed  ; 
it  shall  be  mine.  I  suppose,  good  God,  that  I  may  take  it,  and 
that  it  is  no  theft  for  me  to  do  so  ? " 

She  looked  up  to  heaven  with  a  beseeching  glance  ;  then 
she  softly  drew  one  of  the  flowers  from  the  bouquet,  pressed  it 
to  her  lips,  and  concealed  it  in  her  bosom. 

u  I  will  preserve  this  flower  while  I  live,"  she  exclaimed. 
"  God  strengthened  my  heart  so  that  I  was  able  to  reject  him  ; 
but  I  shall  love  him  forever,  and  this  flower  is  my  wedding- 
bouquet.  I  shall  never  wear  another  !  " 

She  extended  her  arms  in  the  direction  where  Ulrich  had 
disappeared.  "  Farewell  ! "  she  cried.  "  I  greet  you  a  thou- 
sand times,  and  my  heart  goes  with  you  ! " 

Then  she  turned  and  hastily  descended  the  path  which  she 
had  ascended  with  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg. 


CHAPTER  XXIH. 

THE  TRIUMPH  OF  DEATH. 

IT  was  a  wondrously  beautiful  morning  in  May  ;  the  sun 
shone  clear  and  bright  ;  the  birds  sang  in  all  the  shrubs  and 
trees,  and  the  gay  spring  flowers  exhaled  their  fragrant  odors 
in  all  the  gardens.  Nature  had  donned  its  holiday  attire,  and 
yet  humanity  was  in  mourning  ;  the  sun  shone  clear  and 
bright,  and  yet  the  eyes  of  men  were  sombre  and  lustreless, 


THE   TRIUMPH   OF   DEATH.  253 

and  instead  of  rejoicing  over  the  fresh  verdure  and  the  blos- 
soms of  spring,  they  grieved,  and  their  hearts  were  frozen 
with  care  and  pain. 

For  the  Emperor  Napoleon  had  raised  his  proud  hand  again 
against  Germany  ;  he  had  defeated  the  Austrians  at  Ratisbon 
and  Landshut,  and  made  his  triumphant  entrance  into  Vienna 
on  the  12th  of  May,  1809. 

For  the  second  time  the  imperial  family,  fleeing  from  the 
victorious  Napoleon,  had  been  compelled  to  leave  the  capital  ; 
for  the  second  time  the  foreign  emperor  occupied  the  palace 
of  Schonbrunn,  and  Vienna  had  to  bow  again  to  the  will  of 
the  all-powerful  conqueror.  The  Emperor  Francis  had  es- 
caped with  his  wife  and  children  to  Hungary,  and  Vienna, 
whose  inhabitants  had  at  first  sworn  enthusiastically  to  defend 
their  city  to  the  last  man,  and  lay  it  in  ashes  rather  than  sur- 
render it  to  the  French,  had  nevertheless  opened  its  gates  al- 
ready on  the  12th  of  May  to  the  Emperor  Napoleon  and  his 
army.  It  had  to  bow  to  stern  necessity,  for  during  the  pre- 
vious night  the  Archduke  Maximilian,  with  the  weak  forces 
with  which  he  had  been  ordered  to  defend  Vienna,  had  evacu- 
ated the  city,  had  burned  the  great  bridge  of  Thabor  to  pre- 
vent Napoleon  from  pursuing  him,  and  had  succeeded  in  es- 
caping, leaving  it  to  the  Viennese  to  make  terms  with  the 
conqueror  and  invoke  his  clemency  and  generosity.  They 
had  thus  been  obliged  to  conceal  their  rage  and  exasperation 
in  their  hearts,  and  surrender  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
French  emperor  ;  they  had  opened  their  gates  to  the  enemy, 
but  not  then?  hearts.  Their  hearts  were  filled  with  boundless 
rage  and  shame,  which  brought  wild  imprecations  to  the  lips 
of  the  men,  and  tears  to  the  eyes  of  the  women. 

Joseph  Haydn,  the  silver-haired  octogenarian,  had  still  the 
heart  of  a  fiery  man  in  his  bosom,  and  his  trembling  lips 
cursed  the  conqueror,  the  relentless  foe  of  Austria,  and  called 
down  the  wrath  of  Heaven  on  the  French  emperor,  who  al- 
ways spoke  of  peace  and  conciliation,  and  always  stirred  up 
quarrels  and  enmities.  The  latest  reverses  of  Austria  had  pro- 
duced a  most  painful  impression  upon  the  aged  maestro,  and 
the  ravishing  joy  which  had  illuminated  Joseph  Haydn's  face 
at  the  performance  of  u  The  Creation,"  had  long  since  disap- 


254:  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

peared  from  his  careworn  and  mournful  countenance.  His 
eyes  were  gloomy  and  dim,  and  often  veiled  with  tears  ;  and 
when  he  played  his  imperial  hymn,  as  he  did  every  morning, 
he  could  not  sing  to  it,  for  tears  choked  his  voice,  and  the 
words,  so  full  of  confidence  and  triumphant  hope,  seemed  to 
him  a  bitter  mockery. 

He  led  now  a  very  quiet  and  lonely  life  at  his  small  house 
in  the  Mariahilf  suburb,  and  he  did  not  even  leave  it,  as  he 
had  formerly  always  done,  on  Sundays  in  order  to  go  to  mass. 
The  sight  of  the  French  uniforms  wounded  his  heart,  and 
he  grieved  on  seeing  his  beloved  Viennese  oppressed  and  hu- 
miliated. 

"  God  is  every  where,"  said  Haydn  to  his  faithful  servant 
Conrad,  "  and  He  will  hear  my  prayer  even  though  I  should 
utter  it  in  my  quiet  closet,  and  not  at  church.  But  to-day, 
my  friend,  I  will  pray  to  God  in  the  open  air.  See  how  glori- 
ously the  sun  shines,  and  how  blue  the  sky  is  !  To-day  is 
Sunday.  Let  us,  therefore,  put  on  our  Sunday  clothes.  Con- 
rad, give  me  the  fine  ring  which  the  great  King  of  Prussia 
presented  to  me,  and  then  come  to  hear  mass  in  my  little 
garden. " 

Conrad  fetched  quickly  the  Sunday  clothes  of  his  master  ; 
he  helped  him  to  put  on  the  silken  and  silver-embroidered 
coat,  and  put  the  large  diamond  ring,  which  Frederick  the 
Great  had  one  day  sent  to  the  great  master  of  harmony,  on 
his  finger.  Then  he  handed  him  his  hat  and  his  strong  cane, 
which  was  adorned  with  a  golden  cross-piece,  that  the  totter- 
ing octogenarian  might  lean  on  it.  Joseph  Haydn  now  left 
the  room  slowly,  his  right  hand  leaning  on  his  cane,  his  left 
arm  resting  on  the  shoulder  of  his  servant.  Behind  him 
walked  with  a  grave  step  the  old  cat,  an  heirloom  from 
Haydn's  lamented  wife,  and  hence  highly  prized  and  hon- 
ored by  the  aged  maestro.  Purring  softly,  now  raising 
its  beautiful  long  tail,  now  rolling  it  up,  the  cat  followed  close 
in  the  footsteps  of  its  master,  through  the  hall  and  across  the 
yard  to  the  small  garden. 

"  How  beautiful  it  is  here  !  "  said  Haydn,  standing  still  in 
the  door  of  the  garden,  and  slowly  looking  around  at  the 
flowers  and  shrubbery,  the  humming  bees  and  flitting  butter- 


TEE  TRIUMPH  OF   DEATH.  255 

flies.  "  Oh,  how  gloriously  beautiful  is  God's  creation,  and 
how  radiant — " 

"  How  radiant  is  nature,"  interrupted  Conrad  ;  "  how 
brilliantly  the  sun  shines,  and  how  splendid  the  lawn  looks  ! " 

"  You  are  a  fool,  old  Conrad,  to  repeat  these  words  from 
my  '  Creation,1 "  said  Haydn,  with  a  gentle  smile.  "  I  was  not 
thinking  of  my  '  Creation  '  at  this  moment,  but  of  God's  crea- 
tion. And  He  certainly  knew  more  about  the  music  of  the 
creation  than  I  did,  and — just  listen  how  the  nightingale 
sings  in  the  elder-bush  yonder  !  It  is  an  air  such  as  is  to  be 
found  only  in  God's  Creation,  and,  as  Joseph  Haydn,  with  all 
his  talents  and  enthusiasm,  never  was  able  to  compose.  Oh, 
how  sweetly  this  prima  donna  assoluta  of  the  good  God  sings, 
and  what  divine  melodies,  modulations,  and  harmonies  she 
warbles  forth,  and — But  what  is  that  ? " 

"  That  is  the  parrot  singing  an  air  from  Joseph  Haydn's 
'  Creation,' "  exclaimed  Conrad,  bursting  into  triumphant 
laughter.  "  And  just  listen,  doctor,  the  prima  donna  assoluta 
of  the  good  God  has  become  entirely  silent,  and  listens  with 
delight  to  the  divine  melodies,  modulations,  and  harmonies  of 
my  dear  master  Joseph  Haydn." 

"  You  are  a  fool,  Conrad,  despite  your  seventy  years,"  said 
Haydn,  "  to  call  old  Paperl  my  prima  donna  assoluta,  and 
compare  him  with  the  nightingale.  But  tell  me,  for  God's 
sake,  where  did  the  bird  hear  that  melody  ?  Why.  Paperl 
whistles  the  great  base-air  from  '  The  Creation  '  as  though  he 
were  the  first  singer.  Where  did  he  learn  it  ? " 

"  I  taught  him  the  melody,  doctor,"  said  Conrad,  proudly  ; 
"  I  gave  him  lessons  for  three  months,  and  he  took  pains  to 
learn  the  melody,  for  he  knew  full  well  that  we  two  were  pre- 
paring a  little  surprise  and  joy  for  our  dear  master,  the  great 
Joseph  Haydn." 

"  And  that  is  the  reason  why  I  have  not  seen  Paperl  for  so 
long,"  said  Haydn,  nodding  his  head  gently.  u  I  did  not  wish 
to  inquire  after  him,  for  I  was  afraid  the  answer  would  be 
that  the  bird  was  dead  and  had  gone  home  to  my  dear  old 
wife. " 

"  Well,  I  am  sure  Paperl  would  never  go  to  her,"  said  Con- 
rad, laughing  ;  "  the  two  could  never  get  along  with  each 


256  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

other,  and  were  always  quarrelling.  Whenever  Paperl  could 
catch  one  of  your  wife's  fingers,  he  bit  it  with  his  thick  beak, 
and  she  hated  the  bird  cordially  for  it,  and  would  have  pre- 
ferred sending  him  to  the  grave  than  descending  into  it  her- 
self. But  Paperl  did  not  die,  and  you  need  not  be  anxious  on 
his  account,  doctor.  Such  parrots  live  a  thousand  years. 
Therefore,  I  locked  him  up  in  my  chamber  for  three  months, 
and  taught  him  the  beautiful  air,  that  the  bird  might  whistle 
it  to  mankind  a  thousand  years  hence,  and  remind  all  of  the 
great  composer,  Joseph  Haydn." 

"  Ah,  my  dear  old  Conrad,"  sighed  Haydn,  sinking  into  the 
easy -chair  which  Conrad  had  placed  for  him  under  the  fra- 
grant elder-bush,  "  a  thousand  years  hence  no  one  will  know 
any  thing  about  us,  and  we  shall  be  nothing  but  dust  returned 
t  >  dust.  But  God  will  remain,  and  His  sun  will  shine  a  thou- 
sand years  hence  as  gloriously  as  it  does  to-day  ;  and  His 
nightingales  will  sing  the  same  wonderful  melodies  from  His 
creation  long  after  my  '  Creation '  has  been  forgotten. " 

He  paused,  and  clasping  his  hands  devoutly,  lifted  his  eyes 
to  heaven.  By  his  side,  on  the  high  pole,  its  right  leg  fastened 
to  it  with  a  small  silver  chain,  the  parrot  sat,  and  fixed  its 
piercing,  sagacious  eyes  upon  him  ;  the  cat  lay  at  Haydn's 
feet,  and  gazed  with  philosophical  equanimity  at  the  flies 
which  were  buzzing  from  flower  to  flower,  and  pricked  up  its 
ears  attentively  whenever  a  small  bird  rustled  in  the  shrub- 
bery, or  skipped  merrily  from  branch  to  branch  in  the  fra- 
grant walnut  tree.  Beside  the  easy-chair  stood  Conrad,  the  old 
servant,  his  faithful,  honest  face  turned  toward  his  master 
with  an  expression  of  infinite  tenderness,  and  quite  absorbed 
in  contemplating  this  mild,  smiling,  and  calm  octogenarian, 
whose  eyes  were  looking  around  slowly,  and  seemingly  greet- 
ing God  and  Nature.  In  the  distance  bells  were  ringing  and 
calling  devout  worshipers  to  divine  service  ;  their  notes  re- 
sounded tremulously  through  the  air  like  a  solemn  accompani- 
ment to  the  voices  of  Nature. 

"  Oh,  how  beautiful,  how  beautiful  ! "  murmured  Haydn. 
"Why  can  I  not  exhale  with  this  sigh  of  joy  my  old  life, 
which  is  no  longer  good  for  any  thing  ?  Why  can  I  not  die 
with  this  prayer  of  gratitude  toward  God  on  my  lips,  and  waft 


THE   TRIUMPH   OF   DEATH.  257 

my  soul  up  to  heaven,  as  that  bird  yonder  is  at  this  moment 
soaring  toward  the  sun  ! " 

"  Oh,  sir,  why  do  you  talk  already  of  dying  ? "  cried 
Conrad,  anxiously  ;  '•  you  must  live  yet  a  long  while,  a 
joy  to  mankind,  and  honored  and  esteemed  by  the  whole 
world." 

"  And  a  burden  to  myself,"  sighed  Haydn.  "  I  am  ex- 
hausted, Conrad  ;  I  have  no  longer  strength  enough  to  live. 
This  unfortunate  war  crushed  to  the  ground  and  broke  my 
poor  heart.*  When  Napoleon  made  his  second  entrance  into 
Vienna,  and  our  good  Emperor  Francis  had  to  escape  again 
from  the  capital,  I  felt  as  though  my  heart  were  rent  asunder, 
and  this  rent  will  never  heal  again.  The  misfortunes  of  my 
fatherland  will  cause  me  to  bleed  to  death  !  Ah,  how  dread- 
ful it  is  that  Austria  and  my  emperor  were  humiliated  so  pro- 
foundly, and  that  they  had  to  bow  to  the  Emperor  of  the 
French  !  I  cannot  comprehend  why  the  Lord  permits  it,  and 
why  He  does  not  hurl  down  His  thunderbolts  upon  the  head 
of  this  hypocritical  French  emperor,  who  throws  the  firebrand 
of  war  into  all  parts  of  Europe,  who  always  has  pharisaical 
words  of  peace  in  his  mouth,  and  gives  himself  the  appearance 
of  wishing  to  reconcile  all,  when  he  is  intent  only  on  setting 
all  at  variance.  Oh,  Conrad,  when  I  think  of  this  Emperor 
Napoleon,  of  the  innocent  blood  which  he  has  already  shed, 
and  of  the  many  thousand  victims  which  have  alreadv  fallen 
to  his  ambition,  my  heart  swells  up  in  boundless  exasperation, 
and  I  begin  to  doubt  even  the  goodness  and  justice  of  God  ! — 
But  hush,  hush,  my  wrild  heart,"  he  interrupted  himself,  lifting 
his  eyes  with  a  beseeching  glance  to  heaven.  "  God  will  man- 
age everything  for  the  best.  He  will  one  day,  with  a  beck  of 
His  hand,  hurl  the  French  usurper  from  his  throne,  and  cause 
Austria  to  rise  great  and  powerful  from  her  humiliating  posi- 
tion. He  will  protect  Germany  from  the  wrongs  inflicted 
upon  her  by  France,  and  avenge  the  disgrace  which  every 
German  has  to  suffer  at  the  hands  of  the  French.  That  is  the 
hope  which  I  shall  take  with  me  into  my  grave  ;  that  is  the 
confidence  I  have  in  Thee,  O  my  God  ! " 

He  lifted  both  his  hands  toward  heaven,  and  prayed  in  a 

*  Haydn's  own  words. — "  Zeitgenossen,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  86, 


258  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

low  voice.  Then  he  rose  slowly  from  his  chair,  and  turned 
his  head  with  smiling  greetings  on  all  sides. 

"  Conrad,"  he  said,  gently,  "  I  take  leave  of  Nature  to-day, 
for  it  seems  to  me  as  if  I  never  should  see  again  my  dear  little 
garden,  the  flowers  and  birds,  the  sun  and  the  sky.  Oh,  fare- 
well, then,  great  and  holy  Nature  1  I  have  loved  thee  pas- 
sionately all  my  life,  and  glorified  thee  in  my  works  to  the 
best  of  the  power  which  God  imparted  to  me.  Farewell, 
Nature  !  farewell,  sunshine  and  fragrant  flowers  !  Joseph 
Haydn  takes  leave  of  you,  for  his  task  is  fulfilled,  and  his 
soul  is  weary.  Come,  my  old  Conrad,  conduct  me  back  to  the 
house.  I  will  return  to  my  room.  I  am  tired,  ah,  so  exceed- 
ingly tired  ! " 

He  passed  his  arm  around  Conrad's  neck,  and,  leaning  his 
other  hand  on  his  cane,  walked  slowly  and  pantingly  up  the 
narrow  path. 

At  this  moment  the  nightingale  in  the  elder-bush  recom- 
menced its  jubilant  song,  and  at  the  same  time  the  parrot 
raised  its  shrill  voice,  and  began  to  whistle  the  sweet  notes  of 
the  air  from  Haydn's  "  Creation." 

Haydn  stood  still  and  listened.  "  Conrad,"  he  said,  in  a 
low  voice,  "  we  will  now  consult  an  oracle  as  to  my  life  and 
death.  If  the  parrot  pauses  first,  I  shall  die  soon  ;  if  the 
nightingale  pauses,  God  will  permit  me  to  live  a  while 
longer." 

He  lifted  his  eyes  devoutly  to  the  sky,  over  whose  azure 
plain  white  cloudlets  were  scudding  like  silver  swans,  and  his 
lips  muttered  a  low  prayer. 

The  nightingale  still  sang  its  wonderful  love-songs,  and 
the  parrot  tried  to  drown  its  notes  with  Haydn's  beautiful 
melody. 

Conrad  smiled  blissfully.  "  My  Paperl  has  a  long  breath," 
he  said,  "  and  the  nightingale  will  be  unable  to  cope  with 
him  ;  Rupert  will  outsing  it." 

But  the  nightingale,  as  if  irritated  by  this  rivalry,  now 
seemed  to  put  forth  its  whole  art  and  strength.  The  ringing 
trills  were  followed  by  long,  sweet,  flute-notes,  which  filled 
the  air  like  a  joyous  hymn  of  tenderness,  drowning  the 
voices  of  all  other  birds,  and  the  sighing  breeze,  and  seemed 


THE  TRIUMPH   OF  DEATH.  259 

to  arouse  the  flowers  from  their  sweet  slumber,  till  they  trem- 
bled with  blissful  transports,  and  softly  raised  their  flowery 
crowns  toward  the  blooming  elder,  in  whose  dark  foliage  was 
concealed  the  nightingale,  Nature's  great  and  yet  modest 
artiste. 

Yes,  all  Nature  seemed  to  listen  with  blissful  attention  to 
this  wonderful  song  of  the  nightingale,  and  even  the  parrot 
could  no  longer  resist  the  charm.  Paperl  hesitated,  then  com- 
menced again,  hesitated  a  second  time,  and  was  silent. 

Haydn  dropped  his  clasped  hands  slowly,  and  turned  his 
«yes  from  heaven  to  earth.  "  I  knew  it  full  well,"  he  mur- 
mured ;  '*  the  oracle  has  decided  my  fate,  and  Joseph  Haydn's 
'  Creation '  is  silenced  by  God's  creation.  Come  into  the 
house,  Conrad  ;  I  am  cold  and  tired.  But  first  give  me  a  few 
of  my  fragrant  friends,  my  dear  flowers.  They  shall  speak  to 
me  in  my  room  of  the  splendor  and  beauty  of  the  world." 

Conrad  gathered  hastily  a  full  bouquet  of  roses,  pinks,  and 
elder-flowers,  dried  the  tears  filling  his  eyes,  and  conducted 
his  master  carefully  back  into  the  house. 

He  had  just  seated  him  in  his  easy-chair,  and  placed  the 
embroidered  cushion  under  his  feet,  when  the  shrill  street-bell 
resounded  in  the  hall. 

"  Go  and  see  who  is  there,"  said  Haydn,  holding  the  bou- 
quet in  both  his  hands,  and  contemplating  it  with  loving  eyes. 

Conrad  slipped  out  of  the  room  and  returned  in  a  few  min- 
utes. 

"  There  is  a  stranger  from  Berlin,"  he  said,  "  who  begged 
me  urgently  to  admit  him  to  Dr.  Haydn.  Mr.  Schmid,  the 
manager  of  the  theatre,  is  with  him,  and  requests  you  to  see 
the  stranger,  who,  he  says,  is  a  celebrated  poet." 

"If  Schmid  is  with  him,  let  them  come  in,"  said  Haydn, 
mildly  ;  "  it  will  doubtless  be  the  last  time  I  shall  see  my  dear 
old  friend  on  earth." 

Conrad  threw  open  the  door,  and  beckoned  the  gentlemen, 
who  were  standing  outside,  to  come  in.  The  two  crossed  the 
threshold  softly  on  tiptoe,  and  with  faces  expressive  of  pro- 
found reverence  ;  as  if  seized  with  compassion  or  pious  awe, 
they  stood  still  at  the  door,  and  gazed  with  eyes  full  of  tender- 
ness upon  Haydn,  who,  at  this  moment,  overcome  perhaps 


260  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

by  the  spring  air,  had  closed  his  eyes,  and  not  heard  the  en- 
trance of  the  visitors. 

"  That  is  he,"  whispered  one  of  the  two,  a  man  of  a  tall,  erect 
form,  with  a  face  radiant  with  understanding  and  sagacity. 
"  That  is  he  ! "  he  repeated,  fixing  his  ardent  eyes  on  the  com- 
poser. 

"Yes,  that  is  Joseph  Haydn.'1  said  the  other,  in  a  low  voice, 
and  an  expression  of  profound  grief  overspread  his  hroad, 
good-natured  face.  "  But  hush  !  he  opens  his  eyes." 

And  he  approached  Haydn,  who  held  out  both  his  hands 
to  him,  and  greeted  him  with  a  gentle  smile. 

"  Do  you  come  to  bid  farewell  to  your  old  friend  once  more 
previous  to  his  death  ? "  he  asked,  mildly.  "  Do  you  wish  to 
take  leave  of  me,  my  dear  friend  Schmid  ? " 

"  No,  I  do  not  come  to  bid  you  farewell,  but  wish  you  good- 
day,''  said  Schmid,  warmly,  "  and  pray  you  to  receive  this 
gentleman  here  kindly.  It  is  Iffland,  the  celebrated  actor  and 
poet  from  Berlin.  He  had  come  to  Vienna  before  the  French 
took  the  city,  and  after  its  capture  he  could  no  longer  get  out: 
they  detained  him,  and  it  was  not  until  now  that,  by  dint  of 
the  most  pressing  solicitations,  he  received  permission  to  re- 
turn to  Berlin." 

'•  But  I  could  not  leave  Vienna  without  seeing  the  great 
Haydn,"  exclaimed  Iffland,  in  his  fine,  sonorous  voice. 
"  What  would  the  people  of  Berlin  think  of  me  if  I  had 
not  seen  the  most  illustrious  genius  of  our  time  ? " 

"  Sir,"  said  Haydn,  with  a  sigh,  "  look  at  me,  and  learn 
from  my  weakness  how  fragile  man  is  with  all  his  glory." 

"  Man  alone  is  fragile,  but  genius  is  immortal,"  exclaimed 
Iffland,  "and  Joseph  Haydn  is  a  genius  whose  glory  will 
never  die." 

"  Let  my  footman  tell  you  the  glory  of  the  nightingale 
and  the  parrot,"  said  Haydn,  with  a  faint  smile.  "The 
works  of  man  are  perishable,  but  the  works  of  God  last 
forever." 

"  But  the  works  of  man  come  likewise  from  God,  for  it  was 
He  who  gave  him  the  strength  to  create  them,"  replied  Iffland, 
warmly.  "  Did  not  the  great  and  glorious  creations  of  your 
genius  come  just  as  much  from  God  as  the  flowers  which  you 


THE  TRIUMPH  OF  DEATH.  261 

hold  in  your  hand,  and  the  perfumes  of  which  delight  you 
so  visibly  ?" 

"  Yes,  these  flowers  are  beautiful,"  said  Haydn,  musingly. 

"  The  bouquet  is  doubtless  a  gift  from  one  of  the  many 
fair  admirers  of  our  maestro  ?  "  asked  Schmid,  laughing. 

Haydn  looked  up  to  him  smilingly  and  shook  his  head 
gently.  "  No,"  he  said,  ''  it  is  the  last  souvenir  of  Nature,  to 
which  I  have  bidden  farewell.  I  worshipped  to-day  in  the 
open  air,  and  this  is  the  rosary  with  which  I  will  pray.  Ah, 
I  love  Nature  so  passionately  !  " 

"And  you  have  taught  those  whose  eyes  and  ears  were 
closed  against  the  holy  charms  of  Nature,  how  to  see  and 
hear,"  said  Inland.  "  Your  '  Seasons '  is  the  most  glorious 
hymn  on  God's  splendid  world." 

"  Yes,  the  '  Seasons,'  "  cried  Haydn,  almost  vehemently, 
"  gave  me  the  death-blow.  It  was  so  difficult  for  me  to  de- 
rive enthusiasm  from  the  words  of  the  text.  The  words  said 
so  little,  really  so  very  little  !  Frequently  a  single  passage 
caused  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble  for  several  days,  and  I  did 
not  succeed  after  all  in  expressing  the  idea  I  wished  to  convey 
to  the  hearers.  The  words  were  a  dead  weight  on  my  music. 
Well,  it  is  all  over  now.  Yes,  you  see,  it  is  all  over  now. 
The  'Seasons'  is  to  blame  for  it,  for  it  exhausted  my  last 
strength.  I  have  had  to  work  hard  all  my  lifetime ;  I  had  to 
suffer  hunger,  thirst,  and  cold  in  ray  wretched  attic,  whence 
I  had  to  descend  a  hundred  and  thirty  steps  before  reaching 
the  street.  Privations,  hard  work,  hunger,  in  short,  all  that 
I  suffered  in  my  youth,  are  now  exerting  their  effects  on  me 
and  prostrating  me.  But  it  is  an  honorable  defeat — it  is  hard 
work  to  which  I  am  succumbing.  However,  God  assisted 
me.  I  never  felt  it  more  strikingly  than  this  very  day,  and 
therefore  I  am  so  happy,  oh  !  so  happy,  that  I  must  shed  tears  of 
blissful  emotion.  Do  not  laugh  at  me  on  this  account.  I  am 
a  weak  old  man,  and  when  any  thing  affects  me  profoundly, 
I  must  weep.  It  was  otherwise  in  former  years.  Ah,  in 
former  years !  "  He  turned  his  tearful  eyes  toward  the  win- 
dow, and  gazed  into  vacancy.  "  In  former  years  my  mind 
was  strong  and  vigorous,"  he  sighed,  "  and  when  I  wrote  my 
'  Creation,'  a  manly  fire  filled  my  heart." 


262  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"Your  enthusiasm  is  imprinted  on  your  great  work,  and  it 
will  never  disappear  from  it,'1  said  Iffland.  *'  Joseph  Haydn's 
'Creation'  is  immortal  and  full  of  eternal  youth.  The 
Viennese  proved  it  to  you  on  hearing  your  sublime  music  the 
other  day." 

"  But  I  proved  to  them  that  I  had  become  so  feeble  that  I 
could  no  longer  bear  listening  to  my  own  music.  I  had 
to  leave  the  room  long  before  the  performance  was  at  an 
end." 

"  You  ought  not  to  have  gone  to  the  concert  at  all,"  said 
Schmid.  The  excitement  might  have  been  injurious  to  your 
health." 

"  It  was  injurious  to  me,"  said  Haydn,  u  but  considerations 
of  health  had  no  right  to  prevent  me  from  being  present.  It 
was  not  the  first  time  that  homage  had  been  rendered  to 
Haydn,  and  I  wished  to  show  that  I  was  able  to  bear  it  this 
time  too.  Ah,  it  was  a  glorious  evening,  and  never  did  I  hear 
a  better  performance  of  my  '  Creation.'  " 

"  It  was  the  great  composer's  apotheosis  which  the  musi- 
cians and  singers  were  celebrating,"  said  Iffland,  deeply 
moved. 

"  It  is  true  the  Viennese  have  done  a  great  deal  for  me. 
They  are  so  good,  and  they  love  me  dearly." 

'•  Oh,  the  Viennese  are  not  ahead  of  the  people  of  Berlin  in 
this  respect,"  exclaimed  Iffland.  "  In  Berlin,  too,  every  one 
knows  and  loves  the  great  Joseph  Haydn,  and  his  '  Creation' 
is  likewise  recognized  there  as  a  masterpiece.  It  was  per- 
formed in  Berlin  quite  recently  at  a  charity  concert,  the  re- 
ceipts of  which  amounted  to  over  two  thousand  dollars." 

"  Over  two  thousand  dollars  for  the  poor,"  said  Joseph 
Haydn,  with  beaming  eyes;  "oh,  my  work,  then,  gave  the 
poor  a  good  day.  That  is  splendid,  that  is  the  most  beautiful 
reward  for  a  life  of  toils  and  privations.  But,"  he  added,  after 
a  brief  pause,  "  it  is  all  over  now.  I  can  no  longer  do  any 
thing.  I  am  a  leafless  tree,  which  will  break  down  to-day  or 
to-morrow." 

"  The  fall  of  this  tree  will  move  the  whole  of  Germany  as 
a  great  calamity  befalling  every  lover  of  his  country." 

"  Yes,  it  is  tru«,  much  love  has  been  ^Manifested  for  me, 


THE  TRIUMPH  OF  DEATH.  263 

much  homage  has  been  rendered  to  me,"  said  Haydn,  mus- 
ingly. 

"  All  nations  and  all  princes  have  rendered  homage  to  you," 
exclaimed  Inland.  "The  laurel  wreath,  for  which  we  other 
poets  and  artists  are  struggling  all  our  lifetime,  and  which  is 
generally  bestowed  upon  us  only  after  we  are  in  the  grave, 
was  long  since  granted  to  you  in  the  most  flattering  and  grati- 
fying manner.  Europe  has  presented  you,  not  with  one,  but 
with  many  laurel  wreaths,  and  you  may  look  back  on  your 
life  like  a  victorious  hero,  for  each  of  your  exploits  was  a 
triumph  for  which  you  received  laurel-wreaths  and  trophies." 

"  Yes,  I  have  many  souvenirs  of  my  past,"  said  Haydn, 
smilingly.  "  I  will  show  them  to  you. — Conrad,  give  me  my 
treasures.'' 

Conrad  opened  the  drawer  of  the  large  writing-table  which 
was  standing  close  to  Haydn,  and  which  contained  a  great 
many  large  and  small  &tuis,  caskets  and  boxes. 

"You  shall  see  my  treasures  now,"  exclaimed  Haydn, 
cheerfully.  In  the  first  place,  he  showed  them  a  beautiful 
casket  made  of  ebony  and  gold.  It  was  a  gift  with  which  the 
young  Princess  Esterhazy  had  presented  the  beloved  and 
adored  friend  of  her  house  only  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  on 
whose  lid  was  painted  a  splendid  miniature  representing  the 
scene  at  the  last  performance  of  "  The  Creation,"  when  Haydn 
received  the  enthusiastic  homage  of  the  audience.  He  then 
showed  them  the  large  gold  medal  sent  him,  in  1800,  from 
Paris,  by  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  musicians  who,  on  Christ- 
mas evening  in  that  year,  had  performed  u  The  Creation,"  and 
thereby  delighted  all  Paris.  Then  followed  many  other  med- 
als from  musical  societies  and  conservatories,  and  valuable 
diamond  rings,  snuff-boxes,  and  breastpins  from  kings  and 
emperors.  Last,  Haydn  showed  them,  with  peculiar  emotion, 
the  diploma  of  citizenship  which  the  city  of  Vienna  had  con- 
ferred on  him.  It  was  contained  in  a  silver  case,  and  its 
sight  caused  his  eyes  even  now  to  flash  with  the  most  intense 
satisfaction. 

He  had  placed  on  the  table  before  him  every  piece,  after 
showing  it  to  them  and  explaining  its  meaning ;  and  now 
that  all  the  treasures  were  spread  out  before  him,  he  con- 


264  ANDREAS   IIOFER. 

templated  them  with  a  blissful  smile,  and  nodded  to  them  as 
if  to  dear  old  friends. 

"  Do  not  laugh  at  me,"  he  said,  lifting  his  eyes  to  Iffland, 
almost  beseechingly.  "  I  am  fondly  attached  to  these  things, 
and  hence  it  delighted  me  to  look  at  them  from  time  to  time 
with  my  friends.  You  will  say  they  are  the  playthings  of  an 
old  man.  But  they  are  more  than  that  to  me  ;  on  beholding 
them,  I  think  of  my  past  life,  and  my  recollections  render  me 
young  again  for  a  few  moments.  After  my  death  all  these 
things  will  pass  into  dear  hands,  and  I  hope  that,  when  I  am 
slumbering  in  my  grave,  my  souvenirs  will  be  carefully  pre- 
served and  honored  if  only  for  my  sake."  * 

"I  hope  the  day  is  distant  when  Germany  will  have  to 
lament  the  death  of  her  favorite,  Joseph  Haydn,"  exclaimed 
Iffland. 

"  That  day  is  close  at  hand,"  said  Haydn,  calmly  ;  "  I  feel 
to-day  more  distinctly  than  ever  before  that  my  end  is  draw- 
ing nigh.  My  strength  is  exhausted." 

"  Let  us  go,"  whispered  Schmid,  pointing  to  Haydn,  who 
had  feebly  sunk  back  into  his  easy-chair,  and  was  leaning  his 
pale  head  against  the  cushions. 

Iffland  fixed  his  eyes  for  a  long  time  with  an  expression  of 
heart-felt  grief  on  the  groaning,  broken  form  reposing  in  the 
easy-chair. 

"  And  that  is  all  that  is  left  of  a  great  composer,  of  a  genius 
who  delighted  the  whole  world  ! "  he  sighed.  "  Ah,  what  a 
fragile  shell  our  body  is,  a  miserable  dwelling  for  the  soul 
living  in  it  !  Come,  my  friend,  let  us  softly  leave  the  room. 
Only  I  would  like  to  take  a  souvenir  with  me,  a  flower  from 
the  bouquet  which  Haydn  held  in  his  hands.  May  I  venture 
to  take  one  ? " 

At  this  moment  Haydn  opened  his  eyes  again,  and  fixed 
them  with  a  gentle  expression  on  Iffland.  "  I  heard  all  you 
said,"  he  remarked  ;  "  but  I  was  too  feeble  to  speak.  You 
wish  to  get  one  of  my  flowers  ?  No,  you  shall  have  them 
all." 

He  took  the  bouquet,  looked  at  it  tenderly,  and  buried  his 

*  Haydn  bequeathed  all  his  trinkets  and  manuscripts  to  the  Esterhazy 
family,  who  had  honored  him  so  highly  during  his  whole  life. 


THE   TRIUMPH   OF   DEATH.  265 

whole  face  for  a  moment  in  the  flowers,  and  then  handed  it  to 
Iffland  with  a  gentle  smile. 

"  Farewell,"  he  said  ;  "  remember  me  on  looking  at  these 
flowers.  I  would  I  had  known  you  in  happier  days,  when  I 
should  have  been  able  to  enjoy  your  genius  and  admire  your 
art.  You  must  be  a  great  actor,  for  you  have  a  wonderfully 
sonorous  and  pliable  voice.  I  should  like  to  hear  you  de- 
claim, even  though  you  should  recite  but  a  few  verses." 

"Permit  me,  then,  to  recite  the  lines  in  which  Wieland 
celebrated  your  '  Creation,'  "  said  Iffland  ;  and,  advancing  a 
few  steps,  holding  the  bouquet  in  his  hand,  and  fixing  his 
gleaming  eyes  on  Haydn,  who  gazed  at  him  with  a  gentle 
smile,  Iffland  recited  in  his  full  sonorous  voice  Wieland's 
beautiful  lines  : 

"  Wie  strom't  dein  wogender  Gesang 
In  uns're  Herzen  ein  !    Wir  sehen 
Der  SchOpfung  macht'gen  Gang, 
Den  Hauch  des  Herrn  auf  dem  Gewasser  wehen  ; 
Jetzt  durch  ein  blitzend  Wort  das  erste  Licht  entstehen, 
Und  die  Gestirne  sich  durch  ihre  Bahnen  drehen  ; 
Wie  Baum  und  Pflanze  wird,  wie  sich  der  Berg  erhebt, 
Und  froh  des  Lebens  sich  die  jungen  Thiere  regen. 
Der  Donner  rollet  uns  entgegen ; 
Der  Regen  sauselt,  jedes  Wesen  strebt 
In's  Dasein ;  und  bestimmt,  des  SchOpfers  Werk  zu  krOnen 
Sehn  wir  das  erste  Paar,  gefiihrt  von  Deinen  T5nen. 
Oh,  jedes  Hochgefiihl,  das  in  dein  Herzen  schlief, 
1st  wach  !     Wer  rufet  nicht :  wie  schOn  ist  diese  Erde  f 
Und  schoner,  nun  ihr  Herr  auch  dich  in's  Dasein  rief, 
Auf  dass  sein  Werk  vollendet  werde ! "  * 

*  "  Thy  wondrous  song  in  melting  strains 
To  our  mute  hearts  swift  entrance  gains; 
By  magical  yet  unfelt  force, 
We  see  creation's  mighty  course : 
The  firmament  appears  in  space — 
God  breathes  upon  the  water's  face. 
One  flashing  word  bids  primal  light  appear, 
Kevolving  stars  begin  their  vast  career ; 
Upheaving  mountains  now  are  seen, 
Tall  trees  and  tender  herbage  green ; 
18 


266  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

After  concluding  his  recitation,  Iffland  approached  the 
old  man  quickly,  knelt  down  before  him  and  imprinted  a 
kiss  on  his  clasped  hands.  Then,  without  adding  another 
word,  he  rose,  and,  walking  backward  as  if  before  a  king,  ap 
proached  the  door,  opened  it  softly,  and  went  out,  followed  by 
Schmid.* 

"  Farewell  !  "  exclaimed  Haydn,  in  a  deeply-moved  voice, 
and  sank  back  in  the  easy-chair.  Profound  silence  now 
reigned  around  him  ;  but  all  at  once  this  silence  "was  broken 
by  a  thundering  crash,  which  caused  the  windows  to  rattle 
and  shook  the  walls.  The  deafening  noise  was  repeated  again 
and  again,  and  rolled  through  the  air  like  the  angry  voice  of 
God. 

And  now  the  door  opened,  and  Conrad  and  Kate,  the  aged 
servant-woman,  rushed  into  the  room.  "  Ah,  master,  master, 
it  is  all  up  now,  and  we  are  all  lost  !  The  Austrians  and  the 
French  are  in  force  close  to  Vienna,  and  the  battle  has  al- 
ready commenced." 

"  The  battle  has  commenced  !  "  exclaimed  Joseph  Haydn, 
rising  from  his  easy-chair,  and  lifting  his  hand  to  heaven. 
"  The  battle  has  commenced  !  Good  and  great  God  in  heaven, 
protect  our  fatherland,  and  grant  Austria  a  glorious  victory 
over  her  arrogant  foe  !  Do  cot  allow  Austria  and  Ger- 
many to  succumb  ;  help  us  to  defeat  the  proud  enemy  who 
has  humiliated  and  oppressed  us  so  long  !  O  Lord  my  God, 

Young  animals  to  being  rise, 

And  animate  by  living  cries; 

We  hear  the  mighty  thunder  roar, 

And  rains  in  gushing  torrents  pour. 

All  creatures  struggle  into  life  ;  and  stand 

Before  our  eyes,  fresh  from  their  Maker's  hand, 

The  first  pair,  led  by  thy  sweet  tones. 

Now  waked  hy  inspiration's  art, 

Enthusiasm  stirs  our  heart. 

Who  cries  not, '  Earth  is  passing  fair ! ' 

Yet  far  more  fair  her  Maker  is, 

flow  perfect  every  work  of  h w  ! " 

*  The  whole  account  of  this  interview  between  Joseph  Haydn  and  Iflfland 
is  in  strict  accordance  with  iffland's  own  report  of  it  in  his  "  Theatre- Alma- 
nac," pp.  181-207. 


THE   TRIUMPH  OF   DEATH.  267 

shield  the  honor  of  Germany  and  Austria  !  Protect  the  em- 
peror ! " 

And  Joseph  Haydn  walked  through  the  room  with  the 
vigor  and  alacrity  of  a  youth,  dropped  his  hands  on  the  keys 
of  the  piano,  and  began  to  play  in  full  concords  the  melody  of 
his  imperial  hymn,  ''  Gott  erhalte  Franz  den  Kaiser!" 

Conrad  and  Kate  stood  behind  him,  singing  in  a  low, 
tremulous  tone  ;  but  outside,  the  booming  of  artillery  con- 
tinued incessantly,  and  they  heard  also  the  cries  of  the  people 
who  were  hurrying  in  dismay  through  the  streets,  and  the 
tolling  of  all  the  church-bells,  which  called  upon  the  Viennese 
to  pray  to  God. 

All  at  once  Haydn  paused  in  the  middle  of  the  tune  ;  his 
hands  dropped  from  the  keys,  a  long  sigh  burst  from  his  lips, 
and  he  sank  fainting  into  the  arms  of  his  faithful  Conrad. 
His  servants  carried  him  to  his  couch,  and  soon  succeeded  in 
restoring  him  to  consciousness.  He  opened  his  eyes  slowly, 
and  his  first  glance  fell  upon  Conrad,  who  stood  weeping  at 
his  bedside. 

'*  The  nightingale  was  right  ;  my  end  is  drawing  nigh,"  he 
said,  with  a  faint  smile.  *'  But  I  will  not  die  before  learning 
that  the  Austrians  have  defeated  the  enemy,  and  that  my  em- 
peror has  gained  a  battle." 

And  in  truth  Joseph  Haydn's  strong  will  once  more  over- 
powered death,  which  had  already  touched  him  with  its  fin- 
ger. He  raised  himself  upon  his  couch  ;  he  womd  not  die 
while  Austria  was  struggling  on  the  reeking,  gory  field  of 
battle  for  the  regeneration  or  her  end. 

Two  days  followed,  two  dreadful  days  of  uncertainty  and 
terror  ;  they  heard  incessantly  the  booming  of  artillery  ;  but 
although  the  Viennese  gazed  down  from  their  church -steeples 
all  day,  they  were  unable  to  discern  any  thing.  Tremendous 
clouds  of  smoke  covered  the  country  all  around,  and  wrapped 
the  villages  of  Aspern  and  Essling  and  the  island  of  Lobau  in 
an  impenetrable  veil  of  mist. 

Joseph  Haydn  passed  these  days,  the  21st  and  22d  of  May, 
in  silent  grief  and  gentle  resignation  ;  he  prayed  often,  and 
played  his  imperial  hymn  three  times  a  day. 

Thus  the  morning  of  the  22d  of  May  had  come.     Conrad 


268  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

had  gone  into  the  street  to  ask  for  news,  for  the  booming  of 
artillery  had  ceased,  and  the  battle  was  over.  "  Which  side 
was  victorious  ? "  That  was  the  question  which  caused  aD  to 
tremble,  and  which  filled  all  hearts  with  intense  anxiety. 

Haydn's  heart,  too,  was  full  of  grave  anxiety,  and,  to  over- 
come his  impatience  till  Conrad's  return,  he  had  caused  Kate 
to  conduct  him  to  his  piano. 

"  I  will  play  my  imperial  hymn,"  he  said,  hastily  ;  "  I  have 
often  derived  comfort  and  relief  from  it  in  the  days  of  un- 
easiness and  anxiety  ;  and  when  I  play  it  my  heart  is  always 
so  much  at  ease.  Its  strength  will  not  fail  me  to-day  either."  * 

He  commenced  playing  ;  a  blissful  smile  illuminated  his 
features  ;  he  lifted  his  radiant  eyes  to  heaven,  and  his  music 
grew  louder  and  fierier,  and  his  fingers  glided  more  power- 
fully over  the  keys  of  the  piano.  Suddenly  the  door  was 
thrown  open,  and  Conrad  rushed  in,  panting  from  the  rapid 
run,  flushed  with  excitement,  but  with  a  joyful  face. 

"  Victory  1 "  he  shouted.  "  Victory  ! "  And  he  sank  down 
at  Haydn's  feet. 

"  Which  side  was  victorious  ? "  asked  Haydn,  anxiously. 

"  The  Austrians  were  victorious,"  said  Conrad,  pantingly. 
"  Our  Archduke  Charles  has  defeated  the  Emperor  Napoleon 
at  Aspern  ;  the  whole  French  army  retreated  to  the  island  of 
Lobau,  whence  it  can  no  longer  escape.  Thousands  of  French 
corpses  are  floating  down  the  Danube,  and  proclaiming  to  the 
world  that  Austria  has  conquered  the  French  !  Hurrah  ! 
hurrah  I  Our  hero,  the  Archduke  Charles,  has  defeated  the 
villainous  Bonaparte  !  Hurrah  !  " 

"  Hurrah  1  hurrah  ! "  repeated  the  parrot  on  its  pole  ;  and 
ihe  cat  raised  its  head  from  the  cushion  on  which  it  had  lain, 
*nd  gazed  with  keen,  searching  eyes  at  the  parrot,  as  if  it  had 
understood  Paperl's  jubilant  notes. 

Joseph  Haydn  said  nothing,  but  clasped  his  hands  and 
jfooked  rapturously  upward.  After  a  pause  he  exclaimed,  in  a 
loud  and  joyous  voice  :  "  Lord  God,  I  thank  Thee  for  not  dis- 
appointing my  firm  trust,  but  protecting  Austria  and  helping 
her  to  vanquish  her  foe.  I  knew  full  well  that  the  just  cause 
would  triumph,  and  the  just  cause  is  that  of  Austria  ;  for 

*  Haydn's  own  words. — See  "  Zeitgenosson,"  vol.  iv.,  third  series,  p.  36. 


THE  ARCHDUKE  JOHN  AT  COMORN.        269 

France,  hypocritical  France  alone  provoked  this  war,  and 
Austria  drew  the  sword  only  to  defend  her  honor  and  her 
frontiers.  The  just  cause  could  not  but  triumph,  and  hence 
Austria  had  to  conquer,  and  France,  had  to  succumb  in  this 
struggle.  God  protect  the  Emperor  Francis  !  I  may  lay 
down  now  and  die.  Austria  is  victorious  !  That  is  the  last 
joyful  greeting  which  the  world  sends  to  me.  With  this  greet- 
ing I  will  die — ay,  die  !  Death  is  already  drawing  nigh.  But 
Death  wears  a  laurel- wreath  on  its  head,  and  its  eye  is  radiant 
with  triumphant  joy.  Glory  to  Austria  1  Glory  to  the  Ger- 
man fatherland  ! " 

These  were  Joseph  Haydn's  last  words.  He  fainted  away. 
It  is  true  the  physicians  succeeded  in  restoring  him  to  life,  and 
he  breathed  yet  for  six  days  ;  but  his  life  resembled  only  the 
last  feeble  flicker  of  the  dying  flame,  and  in  the  night  of  the 
30th  of  May  death  came  to  extinguish  this  flickering  flame. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  AKCHDUKE  JOHN  AT  COMORN. 

THE  unheard-of  event,  then,  had  taken  place.  Napoleon 
had  been  defeated  by  the  Austrians.  The  Archduke  Charles 
had  gained  a  brilliant  victory  ;  Napoleon  had  transferred  his 
whole  army  to  the  island  of  Lobau  ;  he  himself  passed  his  time 
in  moody  breedings  at  the  castle  of  Ebersberg,  and  the  unex- 
pected disaster  which  had  befallen  him,  and  which  at  the  same 
time  had  brought  about  the  death  of  one  of  his  favorites,  Mar- 
shal Lannes,  seemed  to  have  suddenly  deprived  the  emperor 
of  all  his  energy.  He  did  not  speak,  he  did  not  eat ;  he  sat  for 
whole  days  in  his  cabinet,  staring  at  the  maps  spread  out  be- 
fore him  on  his  table,  and  yet  forgetting  to  cover  them,  as  he 
used  to  do  on  conceiving  the  plans  of  his  campaigns,  with  the 
colored  pins  which  represented  the  different  armies.  Victory 
had  no  longer  been  able  to  soften  this  marble  Caesarean  face, 
but  defeat  caused  his  features  now  to  wear  an  expression  of 
profound  anger  and  grief.  Nevertheless,  he  did  not  complain, 


270  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

and  never  did  he  confess  even  to  his  confidants  that  he  was 
suffering.  Only  once,  for  a  brief  moment,  he  lifted  the  veil 
concealing  his  feelings,  and  permitted  his  marshals  to  see  into 
the  innermost  recesses  of  his  soul.  Marmont  had  dared  to 
pray  the  emperor,  in  the  name  of  all  the  marshals,  to  yield  no 
longer  to  his  grief  at  what  had  occurred,  but  bear  in  mind  that 
it  was  incumbent  on  him  to  preserve  himself  for  the  welfare 
of  his  subjects  and  the  glory  of  his  future.  Napoleon  had  an- 
swered with  a  faint  smile  :  "  You  think  I  am  sitting  here  to 
brood  over  my  misfortune  ?  It  is  true,  I  am  burying  my  dead, 
and,  as  there  are  unfortunately  a  great  many  of  them,  it  takes 
me  a  long  time  to  do  it.  But  over  the  tomb  of  the  dead  of 
Essling  I  am  going  to  erect  a  monument  which  will  be  radiant 
with  the  splendor  of  victory,  and  on  its  frontispiece  shall  be 
read  the  word  '  Vengeance  ! '  The  Emperor  of  Austria  is  lost. 
Had  I  defeated  him  in  this  battle,  I  should,  perhaps,  have  for- 
given his  arrogance  and  perfidy  ;  but  as  he  defeated  me, 
I  must  and  shall  annihilate  him  and  his  army." 

While  Napoleon  was  thus  burying  his  dead,  and  reflecting 
on  his  "  monument  of  vengeance,"  the  utmost  rejoicings 
reigned  at  the  headquarters  of  the  Archduke  Charles,  the  vic- 
tor of  Aspern  ;  and  all  Austria,  all  Germany  joined  in  these 
rejoicings,  and  blessed  the  glorious  day  of  Bonaparte's  first 
humiliation. 

And  this  victory  was  soon  followed  by  the  news  of  a  tri* 
umph  hardly  less  glorious  than  the  battle  of  Aspern.  The  Tyr- 
olese,  those  despised  peasants,  had  gained  a  brilliant  victory 
over  the  French  veterans,  and  their  Bavarian  auxiliaries,  on 
the  21st  of  May,  on  Mount  Isel,  near  the  city  of  Innspruck. 
Andreas  Hofer,  commander-in-chief  of  the  united  forces  of 
the  Tyrolese,  jointly  with  Speckbacher,  Wallner,  and  the  Cap- 
uchin Haspinger,  had  again  defeated  the  Bavarians  and 
French,  who  had  re-entered  the  Tyrol,  and  delivered  the  pro- 
vince a  second  time  from  the  enemy. 

Count  Nugent,  quartermaster-general  of  the  Archdnke 
John,  had  entered  the  latter' s  room  with  this  joyful  news,  and 
told  him  with  sparkling  eyes  of  the  heroic  deeds  of  the  Tyro- 
lese ;  of  Hofer's  pious  zeal  ;  of  the  bold  exploits  of  Wallner 
and  Speckbacher,  whose  deeds  recalled  the  ancient  heroes  of 


THE   AKC1IDUKE   JOHN    AT   COMORN.  '271 

Homer  ;  of  tlie  intrepid  Capuchin  friar,  Haspinger,  who,  with 
a  huge  wooden  cross  in  his  hand,  led  on  the  attack,  and  ani- 
mated his  followers  not  less  by  his  example  than  the  assurances 
of  Divine  protection  which  he  held  forth.  Count  Nugent  had 
related  all  these  heroic  deeds  with  fervid  eloquence  to  the 
archduke,  and  yet,  to  his  utter  astonishment,  the  latter's 
face  had  remained  gloomy,  and  not  a  ray  of  joy  had  illumi- 
nated it. 

"  Your  imperial  highness,  then,  does  not  share  my  exulta- 
tion ? "  he  asked,  mournfully.  *'  You  receive  the  news  quite 
coldly  and  indifferently,  and  yet  I  am  speaking  of  your  be- 
loved Tyrolese,  of  your  heroes,  Andreas  Hofer,  Joseph  Speck- 
bacher,  and  Anthony  Wallner  !  They  and  their  heroic  men 
have  delivered  the  Tyrol  a  second  time  from  the  enemy,  and 
your  imperial  highness  does  not  rejoice  at  it  ?  " 

"No,  my  dear  Count,"  said  the  archduke,  sighing,  "for 
they  will  lose  it  again.  All  this  blood  will  have  been  shed  in 
vain,  and  my  poor  Tyrol  will  be  lost  in  spite  of  it." 

"  You  believe  so  ? — you  who  called  upon  the  Tyrolese  to 
take  up  arms,  who  invited  its  heroes  and  champions  to  such 
daring  efforts,  who  are  ready  yourself  to  fight  for  the  cour- 
ageous mountaineers  to  the  last  extremity  ? " 

"Yes,  1  am  always  ready  to  do  so,"  cried  John,  laughing 
bitterly,  "  but  what  good  will  it  do  ?  They  will  wind  cun- 
ning shackles  enough  round  my  feet  to  make  me  fall  to  the 
ground  ;  they  will  manacle  my  hands  again,  and  put  my  will 
into  the  strait-jacket  of  loyalty  and  obedience.  I  cannot 
do  what  I  want  to  ;  I  am  only  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  others, 
and  this  will  cause  both  my  ruin  and  that  of  the  Tyrol.  I  am 
willing  to  sacrifice  my  life  for  the  Tyrol,  and  yet  I  shall  be 
unable  to  save  it.  For  the  rest,  my  friend,  I  knew  already 
all  these  particulars  of  the  battle  on  Mount  Isel.  A  courier 
from  Hormayr  had  just  reached  me  and  brought  me  full 
details.  I  was  able  to  send  back  by  the  courier  a  fine  reward 
for  the  brave  Tyrolese,  a  letter  from  the  emperor,  my  august 
brother,  which  I  received  this  morning  with  the  order  to 
forward  it  to  them.  I  kept  a  copy  of  the  imperial  letter,  for 
there  may  be  a  day  when  it  will  be  necessary  for  me  to  re- 
mind the  emperor  of  this  letter.  Here  is  the  copy.  Read  it 


272  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

aloud,  that  I  may  hear,  too,  how  fine  the  imperial  words 
sound." 

The  archduke  handed  a  paper  to  Count  Nugent,  who  read 
as  follows  : 

"  After  our  arms  had  suffered  heavy  reverses,  and  after  the 
enemy  had  captured  even  the  capital  of  the  empire,  my  army 
succeeded  in  defeating  the  French  army  under  Napoleon  on 
the  21st  and  22d  of  May,  on  the  Marshfield,  and  driving  it  in 
disorder  across  the  Danube.  The  army  and  people  of  Austria 
are  animated  with  greater  enthusiasm  than  ever  ;  every  thing 
justifies  the  most  sanguine  hopes.  Trusting  in  God  and  my 
just  cause,  I  declare  to  my  loyal  provinces  of  the  Tyrol  and 
Vorarlberg,  that  they  shall  never  again  be  separated  from  the 
Austrian  empire,  and  that  I  will  sign  no  peace  but  one  which 
will  indissolubly  incorporate  these  provinces  with  my  other 
states.  Your  noble  conduct  has  sunk  deep  into  my  heart ;  I 
will  never  abandon  you.  My  beloved  brother,  the  Archduke 
John,  will  speedily  be  among  you,  and  put  himself  at  your 
head.  FRANCIS."* 

"  And  your  imperial  highness  doubts,  even  after  this  sol- 
emn promise  given  to  the  Tyrolese  by  his  majesty  the  em- 
peror ? " 

"My  friend,"  said  the  archduke,  casting  a  long,  searching 
look  round  the  room,  "  we  are  alone  ;  no  one  watches,  and,  I 
trust,  no  one  hears  us.  Let  me,  therefore,  for  once,  speak 
frankly  with  you  ;  let  me  unbosom  to  you,  my  friend,  what  I 
have  hitherto  said  to  God  alone  ;  let  me  forget  for  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  that  I  am  a  subject  of  the  emperor,  and  that  his 
majesty  is  my  brother  ;  permit  me  to  examine  the  situation 
with  the  eyes  of  an  impartial  observer,  and  to  judge  of  men  as 
a  man.  Well,  then,  I  must  confess  to  you  that  I  cannot  share 
the  universal  joy  at  the  recent  events,  and — may  God  forgive 
me  ! — I  do  not  believe  even  in  the  promises  which  the  emperor 
makes  to  the  Tyrolese.  He  himself  may  at  the  present  hour 
be  firmly  resolved  to  fulfil  them  ;  he  may  have  made  up  his 
mind  never  to  sign  any  peace  but  one  which  will  indissolubly 
incorporate  the  Tyrol  with  his  empire  ;  but  the  events,  and 

*  Hormayr,  "Das  Heer  von  Inner- Oesterreich  unter  den  Befehlen  des 
Erzherzogs  Johann,"  p.  189. 


THE  ARCHDUKE  JOHN  AT  COMORN.       273 

especially  men,  will  assuredly  compel  him  to  consent  to 
another  treaty  of  peace.  You  know  full  well  that  there  are 
two  parties  about  the  emperor,  and  that  there  is  a  constant  feud 
between  these  two  parties.  One  wants  war,  the  other  wants 
peace  ;  and  the  peace-party  is  unfortunately  headed  by  the 
Archduke  Charles,  the  generalissimo  of  our  army.  You 
know  the  fawning  and  submissive  letter  which  the  generalis- 
simo addressed  to  Napoleon  after  the  defeat  of  Ratisbon,  and 
which  Napoleon  disdained  to  answer.*  The  war-party  is 
headed  by  the  empress  and  Count  Stadion.  But  the  empress 
has  unfortunately  little  influence  over  her  husband,  and  Count 
Stadion  is  no  more  influential  than  her  majesty.  His  gener- 
ous enthusiasm  and  fiery  impetuosity  are  repugnant  to  the 
emperor,  who  will  remove  him  so  soon  as  he  has  discovered  a 
more  submissive  and  obsequious  successor  who  has  as  much 
work  in  him  as  Stadion.  But  there  is  one  point  as  to  which 
these  incessantly  quarrelling  parties  are  agreed  and  join 
hands,  and  that  is  their  common  hostility  against  the  arch- 
dukes, the  emperor's  brothers  ;  so  virulent  is  this  hatred,  that 
the  peace- party  deserts  its  leader  in  order  to  operate  with  the 
war-party  against  him  and  his  interests.  The  Austrian  no- 
bility has  always  claimed  the  privilege  of  filling  all  superior 
offices,  and  it  is  furious  at  seeing  the  archdukes  animated  with 
the  desire  of  dedicating  their  abilities  to  their  fatherland  and 
their  emperor.  Hence,  the  nobility  is  decidedly  opposed  to 
the  success  of  the  archdukes,  which  might  set  bounds  to  its 

*  The  Archduke  Charles  wrote  to  Napoleon  on  the  30th  of  April,  1809 : 
"  Your  Majesty  announced  your  arrival  by  a  salvo  of  artillery ;  I  had  no  time 
to  reply  to  it  But,  though  hardly  informed  of  your  presence,  I  speedily  dis- 
covered it  by  the  losses  which  I  experienced.  You  have  taken  many  prison- 
ers from  me,  sire,  and  I  have  taken  some  thousands  from  you  in  quarters 
where  you  were  not  personally  present.  I  propose  to  your  majesty  to  ex- 
change them,  man  for  man,  rank  for  rank ;  and,  if  that  proposal  proves  agree- 
able to  you,  point  out  the  place  where  it  may  be  possible  to  carry  it  into 
effect.  I  feel  flattered,  sire,  in  combating  the  greatest  captain  of  the  age ;  but 
I  should  esteem  myself  much  happier  if  Heaven  had  chosen  me  to  be  the  in- 
strument of  procuring  for  my  country  a  durable  peace.  Whatever  may  be  the 
events  of  war,  or  the  chances  of  an  accommodation,  I  pray  your  majesty  to 
believe  that  my  desires  will  always  outstrip  your  wishes,  and  that  I  am  equally 
honored  by  meeting  your  majesty  either  with  the  sword  or  the  olive-branch 
in  your  hand." 


274  ANDREAS  HOFER 

oligarchy.  It  opposes  me  as  well  as  the  other  archdukes, 
whether  this  opposition  may  endanger  the  interests  of  the 
fatherland,  and  even  the  emperor,  or  not.  Things  would  be 
even  more  prosperous  in  this  campaign,  if  the  generals  serv- 
ing under  the  archdukes  had  carried  out  the  orders  of  their 
superiors  with  greater  zeal,  promptness,  and  willingness.  But 
they  have  been  intentionally  slow  ;  they  have  often  hesitated, 
misunderstood,  or  purposely  forgotten  their  orders.  They  are 
intent  on  proving  the  incapacity  of  the  archdukes  in  order  to 
overthrow  them  ;  and  they  well  know  that  they  are  rendering 
a  service  to  the  emperor  by  doing  so,  for  they  are  aware  that 
the  emperor  does  not  love  his  brothers." 

"  No,  your  imperial  highness,"  exclaimed  Nugent,  when  the 
archduke  paused  with  a  sigh.  "  I  hope  that  this  is  going  too 
far,  and  that  you  are  likewise  mistaken  about  it.  It  is  impos- 
sible that  the  emperor  should  not  love  his  brothers,  who  are 
doing  so  much  honor  to  the  imperial  house  by  their  surpassing 
accomplishments,  virtues,  and  talents." 

"My  friend,  you  speak  like  a  courtier,"  said  John,  shaking 
his  head,  "and  you  exaggerate  as  a  friend.  But  even  though 
you  were  right,  those  qualities  would  not  be  calculated  to  ren- 
der the  emperor's  heart  more  attached  to  us.  He  wants  the 
emperor  alone  to  shed  lustre  on,  and  do  honor  to  the  imperial 
house,  and  not  the  archdukes,  his  father's  younger  sons,  whom 
he  hates." 

''  No,  no,  your  imperial  highness,  it  is  impossible  that  the 
emperor  should  hate  his  brothers  !  " 

"  And  why  impossible  ? "  asked  John,  shrugging  his  shoul- 
ders. "  Do  not  his  brothers,  the  archdukes,  hate  each  other  ? 
Or  do  you  believe,  perhaps,  that  the  Archduke  Charles,  our 
generalissimo,  loves  me,  or  even  wishes  me  well  ?  I  was  so 
unfortunate  as  to  be  twice  victorious  during  the  present  cam- 
paign, while  he  was  twice  defeated  ;  I  beat  the  French  at 
Sacile  and  St.  Boniface,  while  he  lost  the  battles  of  Landshut 
and  Ratisbou.  This  is  a  crime  which  the  archduke  will  never 
forgive  me,  and  for  which  he  will  revenge  himself." 

"  Perhaps  he  thinks  that  he  took  a  noble  and  glorious  re- 
venge at  the  battle  of  Aspern  ? " 

"  Oh,  my  friend,  you  forgot  that  our  mother  was  a  daughter 


THE  ARCHDUKE  JOHN  AT  COMORN.       275 

of  Italy,  and  that  we,  therefore,  do  not  care  for  a  noble  and 
glorious  revenge,  but  long  for  an  Italian  vendetta.  The  gen- 
eralissimo will  not  content  himself  with  having  obtained 
glory,  but  I  must  suffer  a  defeat,  a  disgrace,  which  will  neu- 
tralize what  few  laurels  I  gathered  at  Sacile  and  St.  Boniface. 
Oh,  I  know  my  brother  the  generalissimo  ;  I  see  all  the  little 
threads  which  he  is  spinning  around  me,  and  which,  as  soon  as 
they  are  strong  enough,  he  will  convert  into  a  net,  in  which 
he  will  catch  me,  in  order  to  exhibit  me  to  the  world  as  an 
ignoramus  and  dreamer,  destitute  both  of  ability  and  luck  as 
a  general.  Do  not  tell  me  that  I  am  mistaken,  my  friend  ;  I 
have  hitherto  observed  every  thing  with  close  attention,  and 
my  observations  unfortunately  do  not  deceive  me.  The  gen- 
eralissimo is  desirous  of  punishing  me  for  my  victories  at 
Sacile  and  St.  Boniface,  and  for  advocating  a  declaration  of 
war  when  he  pronounced  three  times  against  it.  He  has  al- 
ready several  times  told  the  emperor  that  I  am  self-willed,  dis- 
obedient, and  always  inclined  to  oppose  his  orders  by  words  or 
even  deeds  ;  and  the  emperor  always  takes  pleasure  in  inform- 
ing me  of  the  generalissimo's  complaints. " 

"It  is  true,"  sighed  Count  Nugent ;  "this  aversion  of  the 
generalissimo  to  your  imperial  highness  unfortunately  cannot 
be  denied,  and  you  yourself  have  to  suffer  by  it." 

"  Oh,"  cried  John,  impetuously,  "  if  that  were  all,  I  should 
not  complain  ;  I  should  add  it  to  the  many  other  pin-pricks  of 
my  fate,  and  strive  to  bear  it  without  murmuring.  But  my 
soldiers  and  the  glory  of  the  Austrian  arms  suffer  by  it,  and  it 
will  destroy  the  liberty  of  the  Tyrol.  It  is  well  known  that 
this  is  my  most  vulnerable  point ;  that  I  love  the  Tyrol,  and 
am  determined  to  leave  nothing  undone  in  order  to  redeem 
the  emperor's  pledges  to  preserve  the  Tyrol  to  the  imperial 
house,  and  restore  its  ancient  privileges  and  liberties.  It  is 
known,  too,  that  I  long  intensely  to  live  in  the  future  days 
of  peace  as  the  emperor's  lieutenant  in  the  Tyrol  ;  to  live,  far 
from  the  noisy  bustle  of  the  capital,  in  the  peaceful  seclusion 
of  the  mountain  country,  for  myself,  my  studies,  and  the  men 
whom  I  love,  and  who  love  me.  Oh,  my  poor,  unfortunate 
Tyrol  will  grievously  suffer  for  the  love  which  I  bear  it ; 
Austria  will  lose  it  a  second  time,  and  now,  perhaps,  forever." 


276  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Does  your  imperial  highness  believe  so  ? "  cried  Nugent, 
in  dismay.  "  You  believe  so,  even  after  communicating  to  me 
the  letter  in  which  the  emperor  promises  to  the  Tyrolese  never 
to  sign  a  peace  that  will  not  indissolubly  incorporate  the  Tyrol 
and  Vorarlberg  with  his  monarchy,  and  in  which  he  an- 
nounces the  speedy  arrival  of  his  beloved  brother  John,  who 
is  to  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Tyrolese  ? " 

"  My  friend,  these  numerous  and  liberal  promises  are  the 
very  things  that  make  me  distrustful,  and  convince  me  that 
they  are  not  meant  seriously.  If  the  emperor  had  the  pres- 
ervation of  the  Tyrol  really  at  heart,  and  intended  earnestly 
that  my  army  should  succor  and  save  the  Tyrolese,  would  he 
not  have  left  me  at  liberty  to  operate  according  to  the  dictates 
of  my  own  judgment  and  in  full  harmony  with  the  Tyrolese, 
instead  of  tying  my  hands,  and  regarding  and  employing  my 
force  only  as  a  secondary  and  entirely  dependent  corps  of  the 
generalissimo's  army  ?  Look  into  the  past,  Nugent,  bear  in 
mind  all  that  has  happened  since  we  took  the  field,  and  tell 
me  then  whether  I  am  right  or  not  ? " 

"  Unfortunately  you  are,"  sighed  Nugent ;  "  I  can  no 
longer  contradict  your  imperial  highness,  I  cannot  deny  that 
many  a  wrong  has  been  inflicted  on  you  and  us ;  that  you 
have  have  always  been  prevented  from  taking  the  initiative 
in  a  vigorous  manner ;  that  you  and  your  army  have  con- 
stantly been  kept  in  a  secondary  and  dependent  position ;  that 
your  plans  have  incessantly  been  frustrated  ;  and  that  your 
superiors  have  often  done  the  reverse  of  what  you  wished  and 
deemed  prudent  and  advisable." 

"And  yet  they  will  hereafter  say  that  I  was  alone  to 
blame  for  the  failure  of  my  plans,"  cried  the  archduke, 
with  a  mournful  smile ;  "  they  will  charge  me  with  having 
been  unable  to  carry  out  the  grandiloquent  promises  which 
I  made  to  the  emperor  and  the  Tyrolese,  and  the  emperor 
will  exult  at  the  discomfiture  of  the  boastful  archduke  who 
took  it  upon  himself  to  call  out  the  whole  people  of  the 
Tyrol,  put  himself  at  their  head,  and  successfully  defend 
against  -all  enemies  this  fortress  which  God  and  Nature 
erected  for  Austria.  The  faithful  Tyrolese  have  taken  up 
arms  ;  I  am  ready  to  put  myself  at  their  head,  but  already  I 


THE  ARCHDUKE  JOHN  AT  COMORN.       277 

have  been  removed  from  the  Tyrol,  and  my  arm  is  paralyzed 
so  that  I  can  no  longer  stretch  it  out  to  take  the  hand  which 
the  Tyrol  is  holding  out  to  me  beseechingly.  If  I  had  been 
permitted  to  advance  after  the  victories  which  my  army 
gained  over  the  Viceroy  of  Italy  and  Marmont,  I  should  prob- 
ably now  already  have  expelled  the  enemy  from  Upper  Italy 
and  the  Southern  Tyrol.  But  I  was  not  allowed  to  follow  up 
my  successes  ;  I  was  stopped  in  the  midst  of  my  victorious 
career.  Because  the  generalissimo's  army  had  been  defeated 
at  Ratisbon,  I  was  compelled,  instead  of  pursuing  the  enemy 
energetically  and  obliging  him  to  keep  on  the  defensive,  to  re- 
treat myself,  and,  instead  of  being  the  pursuer,  be  pursued  by 
the  forces  of  the  viceroy.  Instead  of  going  to  the  Tyrol,  I  was 
ordered  by  the  generalissimo  to  turn  toward  Hungary  and 
unite  with  the  volunteers  in  that  country.  No  sooner  had  I 
done  so;  than  I  was  ordered  to  advance  again  toward  the 
Southern  Tyrol,  march  upon  Villach  and  Salzburg,  unite  with 
Jellachich,  form  a  connection  with  Field-Marshal  Giulay, 
and  operate  with  them  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  who  was 
already  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Vienna.  And  he 
who  gave  me  these  orders  did  not  know  that  Jellachich  had 
in  the  meantime  been  beaten  at  Wiirzl ;  that  Villach  had 
been  occupied  by  the  French  ;  that  I  was  not  in  the  rear  of 
the  enemy,  but  that  the  enemy  was  in  my  rear  ;  he  did  not  or 
would  not  know  that  the  Viceroy  of  Italy  was  in  my  rear 
with  thirty-six  thousand  men,  and  that  the  Duke  of  Dantzic 
was  in  front  of  my  position  at  Salzburg.  Since  then  we 
have  been  moving  about  amidst  incessant  skirmishes  and  in- 
cessant losses  ;  and  scarcely  had  we  reached  Comorn  to  re- 
organize and  re-enforce  my  little  army,  when  we  received 
orders  to  march  to  the  island  of  Schiitt  and  toward  Presburg. 
I  vainly  tried  to  remonstrate  and  point  to  the  weakness  and 
exhaustion  of  my  troops  ;  I  vainly  asked  for  time  to  reorgan- 
ize my  forces,  when  I  would  attack  Macdonald  and  prevent 
him  from  uniting  with  Napoleon.  I  vainly  proved  that  this 
was  his  intention,  and  that  no  one  could  hinder  him  from 
carrying  it  into  effect,  so  soon  as  I  had  to  turn  toward  Pres- 
burg and  open  to  Macdonald  the  road  to  Vienna.  My  remon- 
strances were  disregarded  ;  pains  were  taken  to  prove  to  me 


278  ANDREAS    IIOFER. 

that  I  was  but  a  tool,  a  wheel  in  the  great  machine  of  state, 
and  the  orders  were  renewed  for  me  to  march  into  Hungary. 
Well,  I  will  submit  again — I  will  obey  again  ;  but  I  will  not  do 
so  in  silence  ;  I  will,  at  least,  tell  the  emperor  that  I  do  it  in 
spite  of  myself,  and  will  march  to  Presburg  and  Raab  only  if 
he  approves  of  the  generalissmo's  orders." 

"  That  is  to  say,  your  imperial  highness  is  going  to  declare 
openly  against  the  generalissimo  ? " 

"  No  ;  it  is  to  say  that  I  am  going  to  inform  my  sovereign 
of  my  doubts  and  fears,  and  unbosom  to  him  my  wishes  and 
convictions.  You  smile,  my  friend.  It  is  true,  I  am  yet  a 
poor  dreamer,  speculating  on  the  heart,  and  believing  that 
the  truth  must  triumph  in  the  end.  I  shall,  however,  at  least 
be  able  to  say  that  I  have  done  my  duty,  and  had  the  courage 
to  inform  the  emperor  of  the  true  state  of  affairs.  I  shall  re- 
pair this  very  day  to  his  majesty's  headquarters  at  Wolkers- 
dorf.  I  will  dare  once  more  to  speak  frankly  and  fearlessly 
to  him.  I  will  oppose  my  enemies  at  least  with  open  visor, 
and  show  to  them  that  I  am  not  afraid  of  them.  God  knows, 
if  only  my  own  personal  honor  and  safety  were  at  stake,  I 
should  withdraw  in  silence,  and  shut  up  my  grief  and  my  ap- 
prehensions in  my  bosom  ;  but  my  fatherland  is  at  stake,  and 
so  is  the  poor  Tyrol,  so  enthusiastic  in  its  love,  so  unwavering 
'n  its  fidelity ;  and  so  are  the  honor  and  glory  of  our  arms. 
EEence,  I  will  dare  once  more  to  speak  the  truth,  and  may  God 
inpart  strength  to  my  words  ! " 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS  AT  WOLKERSDORP. 

THE  Emperor  of  Austria  was  still  at  his  headquarters  at 
Wolkersdorf.  The  news  of  the  victory  at  Aspern  had  illumi- 
nated the  Emperor's  face  with  the  first  rays  of  hope,  and 
greatly  lessened  the  influence  of  the  peace-party  over  him. 
The  war-party  became  more  confident ;  the  beautiful,  pale 
face  of  the  Empress  Ludovica  became  radiant  as  it  had  never 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS  AT  WOLKERSDORF.    279 

been  seen  before  ;  and  Count  Stadion  told  the  emperor  he 
would  soon  be  able  to  return  to  Vienna. 

But  the  Emperor  Francis  shook  his  head  with  an  incredu- 
lous smile.  "  You  do  not  know  Bonaparte,"  he  said,  •'  if  you 
think  he  will,  because  he  has  suffered  a  defeat,  be  immediately 
ready  to  make  peace  and  return  to  France.  Now  he  will  not 
rest  before  he  gains  a  victory  and  repairs  the  blunders  he  has 
committed.  There  is  wild  and  insidious  blood  circulating  in 
Bonaparte's  veins,  and  the  battle  of  Aspern  has  envenomed  it 
more  than  ever.  Did  you  not  hear,  Stadion,  of  what  Bona- 
parte is  reported  to  have  said  ?  He  declared  that  there  was 
no  longer  a  dynasty  of  the  Hapsburgs,  but  otily  the  petty 
princes  of  Lorraine.  And  do  you  not  know  that  he  has  ad- 
dressed to  the  Hungarians  a  proclamation  advising  them  to 
depose  me  without  further  ceremony,  and  elect  another  king, 
of  course  one  of  the  new-fangled  French  princes  ?  Do  you  not 
know  that  he  has  sent  to  Hungary  emissaries  who  are  calling 
upon  the  people  to  rise  against  me  and  conquer  their  liberty, 
which  he,  Bonaparte,  would  protect  ?  In  truth,  it  is  laughable 
to  hear  Bonaparte  still  prating  about  liberty  as  though  it 
were  a  piece  of  sugar  which  he  has  only  to  put  into  the  mouth 
of  the  nations,  when  they  are  crying  like  babies,  in  order  to 
silence  them,  and  thereupon  pull  the  wool  quietly  over  their 
eyes.  But  it  is  true,  the  nations  really  are  like  babies  ;  they 
do  not  become  reasonable  and  wise,  and  the  accursed  word 
'  liberty,'  which  Bonaparte  puts  as  a  flea  into  their  ears,  mad- 
dens them  still  as  though  a  tarantula  had  bitten  them.  They 
have  seen  in  Italy  and  France  what  sort  of  liberty  Napoleon 
brings  to  them,  and  what  a  yoke  he  intends  to  lay  on  their 
necks  while  telling  them  that  he  wishes  to  make  freemen  of 
them.  But  they  do  not  become  wise,  and  who  knows  if  the 
Magyars  will  not  likewise  allow  themselves  to  be  fooled  and 
believe  in  the  liberty  which  Bonaparte  promises  to  them  ? " 

"  No,  your  majesty."  said  Count  Stadion,  "  the  Magyars  are 
no  children  ;  they  are  men  who  know  full  well  what  to  think 
of  Bonaparte's  insidious  flatteries,  and  will  not  permit  him  to 
mislead  them  by  his  deceptive  promises.  They  received  the 
Archduke  John  with  genuine  enthusiasm,  and  every  day  vol- 
unteers are  flocking  to  his  standards  to  fight  against  the  des- 


280  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

pot  who,  like  a  demon  of  terror,  tramples  the  peace  and  pros- 
perity of  all  Europe  under  his  bloody  feet.  No,  Bonaparte 
can  no  longer  count  upon  the  sympathies  of  the  nations ;  they 
are  all  ready  to  rise  against  him,  and  in  the  end  hatred  will 
accomplish  that  which  love  and  reason  were  unable  to  bring 
about.  The  hatred  of  the  nations  will  crush  Bonaparte  and 
hurl  him  from  his  throne." 

''Provided  the  princes  of  the  Rhenish  Confederation  do 
not  support  him,  or  provided  the  Emperor  Alexander  of  Rus- 
sia does  not  catch  him  in  his  arms,"  said  Francis,  shrugging 
his  shoulders.  "  I  have  no  great  confidence  in  what  you  call 
the  nations  ;  they  are  really  reckless  and  childish  people.  If 
Bonaparte  is  lucky  again,  even  the  Germans  will  idolize  him 
before  long  ;  but  if  he  is  unlucky,  they  will  stone  him.  Just 
look  at  my  illustrious  brother,  the  generalissimo.  After  the 
defeats  of  Landshut  and  Ratisbon,  and  the  humble  letter  which 
he  wrote  to  Bonaparte,  you,  Count  Stadion,  thought  it  would 
be  good  for  the  Archduke  Charles  if  we  gave  him  a  successor, 
and  if  we  removed  him,  tormented  as  he  is  by  a  painful  dis- 
ease, from  the  command-in-chief  of  the  army.  We,  there- 
fore, suggested  to  the  archduke  quietly  to  present  his  resigna- 
tion, which  would  be  promptly  accepted.  But  the  generalis- 
simo would  not  hear  of  it,  and  thought  he  would  have  first  to 
make  amends  for  the  defeats  which  he  had  sustained  at  Lands- 
hut  and  Ratisbon.  Now  he  has  done  so  ;  he  has  avenged  his 
former  defeats  and  achieved  a  victory  at  Aspern  ;  and  after 
this  brilliant  victory  he  comes  and  offers  his  resignation,  stat- 
ing that  his  feeble  health  compels  him  to  lay  down  the  com- 
mand and  surrender  it  to  some  one  else.  But  all  at  once  my 
minister  of  foreign  affairs  has  changed  his  mind  :  the  victory 
of  Aspern  has  converted  him,  and  he  thinks  now  that  the  gen- 
eralissimo must  remain  at  the  head  of  the  army.  If  so  saga- 
cious and  eminent  a  man  as  Count  Stadion  allows  success  to 
mould  his  opinion,  am  I  not  right  in  not  believing  that  the 
frivolous  fellows  whom  you  call  'the  nations'  have  no  well j 
settled  opinions  at  all  ? " 

"  Pardon  me,  sire,"  said  Count  Stadion,  smiling ;  "  your 
majesty  commits  a  slight  error.  Your  majesty  confounds 
principles  with  opinions.  An  honorable  man  and  an  honor- 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS  AT  WOLKERSDORF.     281 

able  nation  may  change  their  opinions,  but  never  will  they 
change  their  principles.  Now  the  firmer  and  more  immov- 
able their  principles  are,  the  more  easily  they  may  come  to 
change  their  opinions  ;  for  they  seek  for  instruments  to  carry 
out  their  principles  ;  they  profit  to-day  by  the  services  of  a 
tool  which  seems  to  them  sufficiently  sharp  to  perform  its 
task,  and  they  cast  it  aside  to-morrow  because  it  has  become 
blunt,  and  must  be  replaced  by  another.  This  is  what  hap- 
pens to  the  nations  and  to  myself  at  this  juncture.  The  na- 
tions are  bitterly  opposed  to  France  ;  the  whole  German  peo- 
ple, both  north  and  south,  is  unanimous  in  its  intense  hatred 
•Against  Napoleon.  The  nations  do  not  allow  him  to  deceive 
them ;  they  see  through  the  Csesarean  mask,  and  perceive  the 
face  of  the  tyrant,  despot,  and  intriguer,  lurking  behind  it. 
They  do  not  believe  a  word  of  his  pacific  protestations  and 
promises  of  freedom  and  liberal  reforms  ;  for  they  see  that  he 
always  means  war  when  he  prates  about  peace,  that  he  means 
tyranny  when  he  promises  liberty,  and  that  he  gives  Draconic 
laws  instead  of  establishing  liberal  institutions.  The  nations 
hate  Napoleon  and  abhor  his  despotic  system.  They  seek  for 
means  to  annihilate  him  and  deliver  at  length  the  bloody  and 
trembling  world  from  him.  If  the  princes  were  as  unani- 
mous in  their  hatred  as  the  nations  are,  Germany  would  stand 
as  one  man,  sword  in  hand ;  and  this  sublime  and  imposing 
spectacle  would  cause  Napoleon  to  retreat  with  his  host  be- 
yond the  Rhine,  the  German  Rhine,  whose  banks  would  be 
guarded  by  the  united  people  of  Germany." 

"  You  speak  like  a  Utopian,  my  dear  count,"  said  the  em- 
peror, with  a  shrug.  "  If  the  united  people  of  Germany  are 
alone  able  to  defeat  and  expel  Bonaparte,  he  will  never  be  de- 
feated and  expelled,  for  Germany  will  never  be  united  ;  she 
will  never  stand  up  as  one  man,  but  always  resemble  a  num- 
ber of  rats  grown  together  by  their  tails,  and  striving  to  move 
in  opposite  directions.  Let  us  speak  no  more  of  a  united  Ger- 
many ;  it  was  the  phantom  that  ruined  my  uncle,  the  Em- 
peror Joseph,  whom  enthusiasts  call  the  Great  Joseph.  But  I 
do  not  want  to  be  ruined,  and  therefore  I  do  not  want  to  hear 
any  thing  of  a  united  Germany.  Thank  God,  since  1806, 1  am 
no  longer  Emperor  of  Germany,  but  only  Emperor  of  Austria, 
19 


282  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

and  that  is  enough  for  me.  I  do  not  care  what  the  princes  of 
the  Confederation  of  the  Rhine  are  doing,  nor  what  intrigues 
Prussia  is  entering  into  in  order  to  rise  from  its  humiliating 
prostration  ;  I  fix  my  eyes  only  on  Austria,  and  think  only 
whether  Austria  will  be  able  to  cope  with  Bonaparte,  or 
whether  she  may  not  ultimately  fare  as  badly  as  Prussia 
did.  We  have  unfortunately  experienced  already  one  Aus- 
terlitz  ;  if  we  should  suffer  another  defeat  like  it,  we  would 
be  lost ;  hence  we  must  be  cautious,  and  I  ask  you,  there- 
fore, why  you  do  not  want  me  now  to  accept  the  resigna- 
tion of  the  generalissimo,  when,  only  a  fortnight  ago,  you 
advocated  his  removal  from  the  command-in-chief  of  the 
army  ? " 

'*  Your  majesty,  because  a  fortnight  ago  he  had  been  re- 
peatedly defeated,  and  because  he  has  now  gained  a  brilliant 
victory.  This  shows  your  majesty  again  the  difference  be- 
tween opinions  and  principles.  Opinions  change  and  are  in- 
fluenced by  success.  After  the  battle  of  Ratisbon,  the  gener- 
alissimo was  looked  upon  with  distrust  and  anxiety  by  his 
army,  nay,  by  the  whole  people  of  Austria,  who  turned  their 
eyes  to  the  Archduke  John,  the  victor  of  Sacile  and  St.  Boni- 
face, and  wanted  to  see  at  the  head  of  the  army  a  victorious 
general,  instead  of  the  defeated  Archduke  Charles  ;  but  the 
latter  has  acted  the  hero,  and  been  victorious  at  Aspern,  and 
the  love  and  confidence  of  the  army  and  people  are  restored 
to  him  ;  all  look  upon  him  as  the  liberator  of  the  fatherland, 
and  will  stand  by  him  until — " 

"Until  he  loses  another  battle,''  interrupted  the  emperor, 
sneeringly.  "  My  dear  count,  one  swallow  does  not  make  a 
summer,  and —  Well,  what  is  it,  Leonard?"  said  the  em- 
peror, turning  quickly  to  his  footman,  who  entered  the  room 
at  this  moment. 

"  Your  majesty,  his  imperial  highness  the  Archduke  John 
has  just  arrived,  and  requests  an  audience.1' 

*'  Let  the  archduke  come  in,"  said  the  emperor  ;  and  when 
the  footman  had  withdrawn,  Francis  turned  again  to  the 
minister.  "  He  is  the  second  swallow  in  which  the  childish 
people  here  are  hoping,"  he  said.  "  But  two  swallows  do  not 
make  a  summer  either ;  there  may  still  be  a  frost  under  which 


THE   EMPEROR   FRANCIS   AT   WOLKERSDORF.  283 

John's  young  laurels  of  Sacile  and  St.  Boniface  will  wither. — 
Ah,  here  is  my  brother/' 

The  emperor  advanced  a  few  steps  to  meet  the  Archduke 
John,  who  had  just  crossed  the  threshold,  and  stood  still  at 
the  door  to  bow  deeply  and  reverentially  to  his  imperial 
brother. 

''No  ceremonies,  brother,  no  ceremonies,''  said  the  em- 
peror, smiling  ;  "  we  are  here  not  in  the  imperial  palace,  but 
in  the  camp  ;  my  crown  is  in  Vienna,  and  my  head  is  there- 
fore bare,  while  yours  is  wreathed  with  laurels." 

The  emperor  said  this  in  so  sarcastic  a  tone  that  the  arch- 
duke gave  a  start,  and  his  cheeks  crimsoned  with  indignation. 
But  he  restrained  his  anger,  and  fixed  his  eyes  calmly  on  the 
sneering  face  of  the  emperor. 

"  Your  majesty  condescends  to  jest,"  he  said,  composedly, 
"  and  I  am  glad  to  see  from  this  that  my  brother,  the  victor  of 
Aspern,  has  gladdened  your  majesty's  heart." 

"Your  majesty,"  said  Count  Stadion,  in  a  low,  pressing 
tone,  "  will  you  not  graciously  permit  me  to  withdraw  ?" 

"  Ah,  you  think  your  presence  would  be  inconvenient  dur- 
ing our  interview,  and  might  hinder  the  free  exchange  of  our 
confidential  communications  ?  But  I  do  not  believe  that  I 
and  my  brother  have  any  special  secrets  to  communicate  to 
each  other,  so  that  the  presence  of  my  minister  would  be  in- 
convenient to  us.  However,  let  the  archduke  decide  this 
point.  Tell  me  therefore,  brother,  is  it  necessary  that  you 
should  see  me  alone  and  without  witnesses  ? " 

"  On  the  contrary,  your  majesty,"  said  John,  calmly,  "  it 
will  be  agreeable  to  me  if  the  minister  of  foreign  affairs  is 
present  at  our  interview  ;  for,  as  your  majesty  deigned  to  ob- 
serve, we  never  have  confidential  com-nunications  to  make  to 
each  other,  and  as  we  shall  speak  only  of  business  affairs,  the 
minister  may  take  part  in  the  conversation." 

"  Stay,  then,  count.  And  now,  my  esteemed  brother,  may 
I  take  the  liberty  of  asking  what  induced  the  commanding- 
general  of  my  army  of  Upper  Austria,  now  stationed  at  Co- 
morn,  to  leave  his  post  and  pay  me  a  friendly  visit  here  at 
Wolkersdorf  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  I  come  to  implore  my  sovereign  to  gra- 


284:  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

ciously  fulfil  the  promise  which  your  majesty  vouchsafed  to 
me  at  Vienna.  Your  majesty  promised  me  that  I  should  suc- 
cor with  the  forces  intrusted  to  me  the  Tyrolese  in  their  heroic 
struggle  for  deliverance  from  the  foreign  yoke,  and  that  I 
might  devote  all  my  efforts  to  aiding  this  nohle  and  heroic 
people,  which  has  risen  as  one  man  in  order  to  be  incorporated 
again  with  Austria.  It  was  I  who  organized  the  insurrection 
of  the  Tyrol,  who  appointed  the  leaders  of  the  peasants,  and 
fixed  the  day  and  hour  when  the  insurrection  was  to  break 
out." 

"  Yes,  yes,  it  is  true,"  interrupted  the  emperor  ;  "  you 
proved  that  you  were  a  skilful  and  shrewd  revolutionist,  and 
it  was  really  fortunate  for  me  that  you  availed  yourself  of 
your  revolutionary  talents,  not  against  me,  but  for  me.  If  I 
shall  ever  recover  full  possession  of  the  Tyrol,  I  shall  be  in- 
debted for  it  only  to  the  revolutionary  skill  of  my  brother 
John  ;  and  I  shall  always  look  upon  it  as  an  act  of  great  dis- 
interestedness on  your  part  to  leave  me  the  Tyrol,  and  not 
keep  it  for  yourself  ;  for  it  is  in  your  hands,  and  it  is  you 
whom  the  Tyrolese  in  their  hearts  call  their  real  emperor." 

"  Your  majesty  is  distrustful  of  the  love  of  the  faithful  Tyr- 
olese," said  John,  mournfully,  "  and  yet  they  have  sealed  it 
with  their  blood  since  the  insurrection  broke  out ;  it  was  al- 
ways the  name  of  their  Emperor  Francis  with  which  they 
went  into  battle,  the  name  of  the  Emperor  Francis  with  which 
they  exulted  triui  iphantly  when  God  and  their  intrepidity 
made  them  victorious." 

"  No,  archduke,  I  know  better  !  "  exclaimed  the  Emperor, 
vehemently.  "  They  did  not  confine  themselves  to  rendering 
homage  to  me,  but  when  the  peasants  had  taken  Innspruck, 
they  placed  the  Archduke  John's  picture  on  the  triumphal 
arch  by  the  side  of  my  own  portrait,  surrounded  it  with 
candles,  and  rendered  the  same  homage  to  it  as  to  that  of  the 
emperor." 

"  It  is  true,  the  honest  peasants  know  nothing  of  etiquette," 
said  John,  sadly.  "  They  believed  in  their  simplicity  that 
they  might  love  a  little  their  emperor's  brother,  who  had  been 
sent  to  their  assistance  by  his  majesty,  and  that  they  might 
place  his  picture  without  further  ceremony  by  the  side  of  that 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS  AT  WOLKERSDORF.    285 

of  the  emperor.  But  that  they  nevertheless  knew  very  well 
how  to  distinguish  the  emperor  from  the  archduke,  and  that 
they  granted  to  the  emperor  the  first  place  in  their  hearts,  and 
deemed  him  the  sole  object  of  their  loyalty,  is  proved  by  the 
song  which  the  Tyrolese  sang  with  enthusiastic  unanimity  on 
fastening  the  Austrian  eagle  to  the  imperial  palace  at  Inns- 
pruck.  As  such  full  particulars  of  the  events  in  the  Tyrol 
were  sent  to  your  majesty,  I  am  sure  this  beautiful  song  was 
likewise  communicated  to  you." 

"  No,  it  was  not,"  said  the  emperor,  carelessly.  "  What 
song  is  it  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  it  is  a  hymn  of  joy  and  triumph  which,  ever 
since  that  day,  is  sung  by  all  Tyrolese,  not  only  by  the  men, 
but  also  by  the  women  and  children,  and  which  resounds 
now  as  the  spring-hymn  of  the  new  era  both  in  the  valleys 
and  on  the  summits  of  the  mountains.  I  am  sorry  that  I  do 
not  know  the  words  by  hearts,  but  I  shall  have  the  honor  of 
sending  them  to  your  majesty.  I  remember  only  the  refrain 
of  every  verse,  which  is  as  follows  : 

" '  Ueberall  lebt'st  sch  treu  und  bieder, 
Wo  der  Adler  uns  angeschaut, 
Und  nu'  haben  wir  unsern  Franzel  wieder, 
Weil  wir  halt  auf  Gott  und  ihn  vertraut.'  "  * 

"  That  is  quite  pretty,"  said  the  emperor,  smiling.  "  And 
is  that  the  song  they  are  singing  now  in  the  Tyrol  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  they  not  only  sing  it,  but  they  believe  in  it 
too.  Yes,  tlr  Tyrolese  confide  in  your  majesty  ;  they  believe 
implicitly  in  the  promises  which  your  majesty  has  made  to 
them,  and  they  would  punish  as  a  traitor  any  one  who  should 
dare  to  tell  them  that  these  promises  would  not  be  fulfilled." 

"  And  who  asserts  that  they  will  not  be  fulfilled  ? "  asked 
the  emperor. 

"  Your  majesty,  the  facts  will  unfortunately  soon  convince 
the  Tyrolese  that  they  must  not  look  for  the  fulfilment  of  these 

*"Far  reaching  as  the  eagle's  view, 
Are  beating  loyal  hearts  and  true ; 
Once  more  our  Francis  can  we  claim, 
Because  we  trust  in  God's  great  name  1 " 


286  ANDREAS  HOFEB. 

promises,"  said  the  archduke,  sighing.  "  At  the  very  moment 
when  the  Tyrol  is  being  threatened  by  two  hostile  armies, 
those  of  the  Viceroy  of  Italy  and  the  Duke  of  Dantzic,  and 
when  the  Tyrol,  therefore,  if  it  is  not  to  succumb  again  to 
such  enormous  odds,  urgently  needs  assistance  and  succor,  I 
receive  orders  to  leave  the  Tyrol  and  march  to  Hungary. 
That  is  to  say,  I  am  to  give  up  Salzburg,  which  is  occupied 
by  the  French  ;  I  am  not  to  succor  Innspruck,  which  is  men- 
aced by  Baraguay  d'Hilliers.  Not  only  am  I  not  to  lend  any 
assistance  to  the  Tyrol ese,  but  I  am  to  break  their  moral 
courage  and  paralyze  their  energy,  by  showing  to  them  by  my 
retreat  that  the  emperor's  promises  will  not  be  fulfilled,  and 
that  the  army  of  Upper  Austria  abandons  the  Tyrol  to  succor 
Hungary." 

"  Well,  the  Tyrol  is  not  yet  abandoned,  even  though  the 
Archduke  John  is  no  longer  there,"  said  the  emperor,  shrug- 
ging his  shoulders.  "  We  have  two  generals  with  corps  there, 
have  we  not  ?  Are  not  the  Marquis  of  Chasteler  and  Count 
Buol  there  ? " 

"  They  are,  your  majesty  ;  but  the  Marquis  of  Chasteler  is 
morally  paralyzed  by  the  sentence  of  outlawry  which  Napo- 
leon has  issued  against  him,  and  Count  Buol  has  too  few  troops 
to  oppose  the  enemy's  operations,  which  are  not  checked  by 
any  corps  outside  the  Tyrol." 

"  Ah,  you  wish  to  give  me  another  proof  of  the  fraternal 
love  reigning  between  you  and  the  Archduke  Charles  ? " 
asked  the  emperor  sarcastically.  "  You  wish  to  oppose  the 
orders  of  your  generalissimo  ? " 

u  I  wish  to  ask  the  emperor,  my  sovereign,  whether  I  am  to 
give  up  the  Tyrol  or  not  ;  I  wish  to  ask  him  if  he  orders  me 
to  march  my  army  to  Presburg,  unite  with  the  insurgent 
forces,  and  operate  there  against  the  enemy." 

"  Are  these  the  generalissimo's  orders  ? " 

"They  are,  your  majesty." 

"  And  what  else  does  he  command  ? " 

"  He  commands  me,  further,  to  make  myself  master  of  the 
two  islands  of  Schiitt  in  front  of  Presburg,  take  Altenburg  by 
a  coup  de  main,  and  garrison,  supply,  and  provision  the  two 
fortresses  of  Raab  and  Comorn  for  six  months." 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS  AT  WOLKERSDORF.    287 

A  sarcastic  expression  overspread  the  emperor's  face. 
a  Well,  these  are  excellent  and  most  energetic  orders,"  he  said. 
"Carry  them  out,  therefore/' 

"But,  your  majesty,  it  is  not  in  ray  power  to  do  so. 
These  orders  look  very  fine  on  paper,  but  they  cannot  be  car- 
ried into  effect.  I  have  neither  troops  nor  supplies  enough  to 
garrison,  supply,  and  provision  Raab  and  Comorn,  and  hold 
Presburg,  even  after  effecting  a  junction  with  the  troops  of 
the  Archduke  Palatine  and  the  Hungarian  volunteers.  And 
the  generalissimo  is  well  aware  of  it,  for  I  have  always  ac- 
quainted him  with  what  occurred  in  my  army  ;  he  knows 
that  my  forces  and  those  of  the  Archduke  Palatine  together 
are  scarcely  twenty-five  thousand  strong,  and  that  one-half  of 
these  troops  consists  of  undisciplined  recruits.  He  knows  that 
the  enemy  is  threatening  us  on  all  sides  with  forty  thousand 
veteran  troops.  The  generalissimo  is  so  well  aware  of  this, 
that  he  spoke  of  the  weakness  of  the  remnants  of  my  army  in 
the  dispatches  which  he  addressed  to  me  only  a  few  days  ago. 
But  the  victory  of  Aspern  seems  suddenly  to  have  made  the 
generalissimo  believe  that,  inasmuch  as  he  himself  has  per- 
formed extraordinary  things,  he  may  demand  of  me  what 
is  impossible." 

"  What  is  impossible  ! "  said  the  emperor,  with  mischie- 
vous joy.  "  So  brave  and  heroic  a  soldier  as  you,  archduke, 
will  not  deem  impossible  what  his  chief  orders  him  to  do. 
The  Archduke  Charles  is  your  chief,  and  you  have  to  ohey 
him.  He  orders  you  to  hold  Raah  and  Presburg.  Go,  then, 
and  carry  out  the  orders  of  your  commander-in-chief." 

"  As  your  majesty  commands  me  to  do  so,  I  shall  obey," 
said  John,  calmly  ;  "  only  I  call  your  majesty's  attention  to  the 
fact  that,  if  the  enemy  accelerates  his  operations  and  compels 
me  soon  to  give  battle,  I  shall  be  unable  to  hold  Raab,  for 
which  so  little  has  been  done  hitherto,  and  that  I  shall  lose 
the  battle  unless  the  generalissimo  sends  a  strong  corps  to  my 
assistance." 

"  It  is  your  business  to  come  to  an  understanding  with  the 
generalissimo  as  to  that  point.  He  possesses  my  full  confi- 
dence, for  he  showed  excellent  generalship  at  Aspern.  There 
is  no  reason  why  I  should  distrust  him." 


288  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  And  God  forbid  that  I  should  wish  to  render  you  distrust- 
ful of  him  ! "  exclaimed  John,  vehemently.  "  I  hope  my 
brother  Charles  will  remain  yet  a  long  while  at  the  head  of 
the  army,  and  give  many  successors  to  the  victory  of  As- 
pern." 

"  But  you  doubt  if  he  will,  do  you  not  ? "  asked  the  em- 
peror, fixing  his  small  light-blue  eyes  with  a  searching  ex- 
pression on  John's  face.  "  You  do  not  rejoice  much  at  the 
brilliant  victory  of  Aspern  ?  You  do  not  think  that  Bona- 
parte is  entirely  crushed  and  will  hasten  to  offer  us  peace  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  you  yourself  do  not  believe  it,"  said  John, 
with  a  smile.  "  Napoleon  is  not  the  man  to  be  deterred  by  a 
defeat  from  following  up  his  plans  ;  he  will  pursue  them  only 
the  more  energetically,  and  he  will  attain  his  ends,  though, 
perhaps,  somewhat  less  rapidly,  unless  we  adopt  more  decisive 
measures." 

"  Look,  Stadion,"  exclaimed  the  emperor,  smiling,  "  I  am 
glad  that  the  Archduke  John  agrees  with  me.  He  repeats 
only  what  I  said  to  you  about  Bonaparte." 

"  But,  your  majesty,  the  archduke  added  something  to  it," 
said  Count  Stadion,  quickly  ;  "  he  said  Austria  ought  to  adopt 
more  decisive  measures." 

"  Ah,  and  now  you  hope  that  the  archduke  will  say  to  me 
what  you  have  already  said  so  often,  and  that  he  will  make 
the  same  proposals  in  regard  to  more  decisive  measures  as  you 
did,  minister  ? " 

"Yes,  I  do  hope  it,  your  majesty." 

"  Well,  let  us  see,"  exclaimed  the  emperor,  with  great  vi- 
vacity. "  Tell  me,  therefore,  archduke,  what  more  decisive 
measures  you  referred  to." 

"  Your  majesty,"  replied  John,  quickly,  "  I  meant  that  we 
should  strive  to  get  rid  of  our  isolated  position,  and  look 
around  for  allies  who  will  aid  us  not  only  with  money,  as 
England  does,  but  also  with  troops." 

"  And  what  allies  would  be  most  desirable  for  Austria,  ac- 
cording to  your  opinion,  archduke  ? " 

The  archduke  cast  a  rapid,  searching  glance  on  the  face  of 
the  minister,  who  responded  to  it  by  a  scarcely  perceptible 
nod  of  his  head. 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS  AT  WOLKERSDORF.    289 

"  Your  majesty,"  said  Archduke  John,  quickly,  "  Prussia 
would  be  the  most  desirable  ally  for  Austria." 

The  emperor  started  back,  and  then  turned  almost  angrily 
to  Stadion.  "  In  truth,"  he  said,  "  it  is  just  as  I  thought  ;  the 
archduke  repeats  your  own  proposals.  It  seems,  then,  that 
the  formerly  so  courageous  war-party  at  my  court  suddenly 
droops  its  wings,  and  thinks  no  longer  that  we  are  able  to  cope 
single-handed  with  Bonaparte.  Hence,  its  members  have 
agreed  to  urge  me  to  conclude  an  alliance  with  Prussia,  and 
now  come  the  besieging  forces  which  are  to  overcome  my  re- 
pugnance. The  minister  himself  was  the  first  to  break  the 
subject  to  me  ;  now  he  calls  the  Archduke  John  to  his  assist- 
ance, and  takes  pains  to  be  present  at  the  very  hour  when  the 
archduke  arrives  here  to  second  his  efforts  in  attacking  me. 
Half  an  hour  later,  and  the  empress  will  make  her  appearance 
to  assist  you,  and  convince  me  that  we  ought  to  secure,  above 
all  things,  the  alliance  of  Prussia." 

"  Pardon  me,  your  majesty,"  said  Count  Stadion,  earnestly  ; 
"I  have,  unfortunately,  not  the  honor  of  being  one  of  the 
archduke's  confidants,  and  I  pledge  you  my  word  of  honor 
that  I  did  not  know  at  all  that  his  royal  highness  was  coming 
hither." 

"  And  I  pledge  your  majesty  my  word  of  honor  that  neither 
the  empress  nor  Count  Stadion  ever  intimated  to  me,  directly 
or  indirectly,  that  they  share  my  views,  and  have  advocated 
them  already  before  your  majesty." 

"  Then  you  have  come  quite  independently,  and  of  your 
own  accord,  to  the  conclusion  that  we  ought  to  form  an  alli- 
ance with  Prussia  ? " 

"  Yes,  your  majesty  ;  I  believe  that  this  has  now  become  a 
necessity  for  us." 

"  But  Prussia  is  a  humiliated  and  exhausted  state,  which 
exists  only  by  Bonaparte's  grace  and  the  intercession  of  th« 
Emperor  of  Russia." 

"  Your  majesty  speaks  of  Prussia  as  it  was  in  1807,"  said 
Count  Stadion,  "after  the  defeats  of  Jena,  Eylau,  and  Fried- 
land.  But  since  then  two  years  have  elapsed,  and  Prussia  has 
risen  again  from  her  prostration  ;  she  has  armed  secretly,  ren- 
dered her  resources  available,  and  found  sagacious  and  ener- 


ANDREAS   HOFER. 

getic  men,  who  are  at  work  silently,  but  with  unflagging  zeal, 
upon  the  reorganization  of  the  army,  and  preparing  every 
thing  for  the  day  of  vengeance." 

"  Let  us  ally  ourselves  with  regenerated  Prussia,  which  is 
longing  for  vengeance  !  "  cried  John,  ardently  ;  "  let  us  unite 
with  her  in  the  struggle  against  our  common  foe.  Prussia 
and  Austria  should  be  harmonious,  and  jointly  protect  Ger- 
many." 

"No,"  said  the  emperor,  almost  angrily,  "Prussia  and 
Austria  are  natural  enemies  ;  they  have  been  enemies  ever 
since  Prussia  existed,  for  Prussia,  instead  of  contenting  herself 
with  her  inferior  position,  dared  to  be  Austria's  rival  ;  and, 
moreover,  Austria  can  never  forgive  her  the  rapacious  con- 
quest of  Silesia." 

"  Oh,  your  majesty,"  exclaimed  John,  impetuously,  "let  us 
forget  the  past,  and  fix  our  eyes  on  the  present  and  future  ! 
France  is  the  common  enemy  of  all  Europe  ;  all  Europe  ought 
to  unite  in  subduing  her,  and  we  will  not  even  solicit  the  co- 
operation of  our  neighbor  !  But  an  alliance  between  Austria 
and  Prussia  will  render  all  Germany  united,  and  Germany 
will  then  be,  as  it  were,  a  threatening  rock,  and  France  will 
shrink  from  her  impregnable  bulwarks,  and  retire  within  her 
natural  borders." 

"  Words,  words  !  "  said  the  emperor,  shrugging  his  shoul- 
ders. "  You  enthusiasts  always  talk  of  a  united  Germany,  but 
in  reality  it  has  never  existed  yet." 

"  But  it  will  exist  when  Prussia  and  Austria  are  allied ;  only 
this  alliance  must  be  concluded  soon,  for  we  have  no  time  to 
lose,  and  every  delay  is  fraught  with  great  danger.  France  is 
intent  on  establishing  a  universal  monarchy  ;  Napoleon  does 
not  conceal  it  any  longer.  If  France  really  succeeds  in  keep- 
ing the  German  powers  at  variance  and  enmity,  and  uniting 
with  Eussia  against  them,  our  last  hour  will  strike  ;  for  these 
two  powers,  if  united,  will  easily  come  to  an  understanding  as 
to  the  division  of  Europe  ;  and  even  though  Eussia  did  not 
entertain  such  an  intention.  France  would  communicate  it  to 
her.*  Hence,  Eussia  should  likewise  be  gained,  and  its  alli- 

*  The  archduke's  own  words. — See  "  Letters  from  the  Archduke  John  to 
Johannes  von  Muller,"  p.  81. 


THE  EMPEROR  FRANCIS  AT  WOLKERSDORF. 

ance,  by  Eussia's  intercession,  be  secured,  so  that  Germany,  in 
days  of  adversity,  might  count  upon  her." 

"You  believe  then,  archduke,  that  days  of  adversity  are 
yet  in  store  for  us  ?"  asked  the  emperor. 

"  Your  majesty,  I  am  afraid  they  are,  if  we  stand  alone. 
All  is  at  stake  now,  and  all  must  be  risked.  We  are  no  longer 
fighting  for  provinces,  but  for  our  future  existence.  We  shall 
fight  well  ;  but  even  the  best  strength  is  exhausted  in  the 
long  run,  and  he  who  holds  out  longest  remains  victorious. 
Which  side  has  better  chances  ?  Austria,  so  long  as  she  op- 
poses France  single-handed,  has  not  ;  but  Austria  and  Prus- 
sia, if  united,  assuredly  have.  If  Austria  falls  now,  the  best 
adversary  of  France  falls,  and  with  her  falls  Prussia,  and 
Germany  is  lost." 

"  And  what  would  you  do,  archduke,  if  Austria,  as  you  say, 
were  lost  ? " 

"Your  majesty,  if  Austria  should  sink  into  ruin,  I  should 
know  how  to  die  ! '' 

"  You  would,  like  Brutus  of  old,  throw  yourself  upon  your 
sword,  would  you  not  ?  Well,  I  hope  we  shall  not  fare  so 
badly  as  that,  for  you  have  pointed  out  to  me  a  way  of  saving 
the  country.  You  have  proved  to  me  that  Austria  can  be 
saved  by  an  alliance  with  Prussia.  Fortunately,  I  have  some- 
times ideas  of  my  own,  and  even  a  head  of  my  own.  I  had 
this  morning  a  long  interview  with  the  Prince  of  Orange, 
who  has  just  arrived  from  Konigsberg,  where  he  saw  the 
King  of  Prussia.  He  laid  before  me  a  detailed  report  of 
what  he  had  seen  there,  and  I  made  up  my  mind  before  I 
had  heard  your  advice. — Count  Stadion,  be  so  kind  as  to 
take  the  paper  lying  on  the  desk.  Do  you  know  the  hand- 
writing ? " 

"I  believe  it  is  your  majesty's  handwriting,"  said  Count 
Stadion,  who,  in  accordance  with  the  emperor's  order,  had 
taken  the  paper  from  the  desk. 

"Yes,  it  is  my  handwriting  ;  for,  though  not  as  learned  as 
my  brother  John,  I  am  at  least  able,  if  need  be,  to  write  a  let- 
ter. Be  so  kind,  minister,  as  to  read  my  letter  aloud." 

Count  Stadion  bowed,  and  read  as  follows  : 


292  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  To  his  majesty,  King  Frederick  William  of  Prussia  : 

"  HEADQUARTERS,   WOLKERSUORF,  June  #,  1809. 

"  SIR,  MY  BROTHER  :  The  Prince  of  Orange,  who  has  arrived 
at  my  headquarters  here,  has  told  me  unreservedly,  and  with 
full  confidence,  of  the  repeated  conversations  he  had  with 
your  majesty  during  his  recent  sojourn  at  Konigsberg.  You 
left  no  doubt  in  his  mind  as  to  your  firm  conviction  that  the 
existence  of  our  two  monarchies  can  be  protected  from  the 
rapacious  system  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon  only  by  an  active 
and  cordial  alliance.  For  a  long  time  past,  aware  of  the 
opinions  and  wisdom  of  your  majesty,  I  could  foresee  that 
your  majesty  would  not  refuse  to  take  a  step,  justified  not  less 
by  the  logic  of  events  than  the  loyalty  of  the  nations  which 
Providence  has  confided  to  our  care. 

"  The  bearer,  Colonel  Baron  Steigentesch,  a  distinguished 
staff-officer  of  my  army,  will  confer  with  your  majesty's  gov- 
ernment as  to  the  questions  which  may  arise  in  regard  to  an 
alliance  between  the  two  countries  :  he  is  authorized  to  regu- 
late the  proportions  of  the  forces  to  be  employed  on  both 
sides,  and  the  other  arrangements  not  less  salutary  than  indis- 
pensable for  the  security  of  the  two  states.  For  the  same 
reasons  I  shall  speedily  send  instructions  to  my  ambassador  at 
Berlin  in  conformity  with  the  overtures  made  by  Count  von 
der  Goltz. 

"  Your  majesty  will  permit  me  to  assure  you  that  I  remain 
as  ever,  Your  most  obedient, 

"FRANCIS,  Emperor  of  Austria."  * 

While  Count  Stadion  was  reading  the  letter,  the  emperor 
closely  watched  the  effect  it  produced  upon  the  archduke.  He 
saw  that  John  was  at  first  surprised,  that  his  eyes  gradually 
brightened,  that  his  face  crimsoned  with  joy,  and  that  a  smile 
played  round  his  lips. 

When  Count  Stadion  was  through,  the  archduke  stepped 
up  to  the  emperor  with  an  expression  of  profound  emotion 
and  intense  gratitude. 

"  Your  Majesty,"  he  cried,  "  you  have  filled  me  both  with 
shame  and  ecstasy.  Oh,  give  me  your  hand,  let  me  press  it  to 

*  "  Lebensbilder,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  266. 


THE  REPLY  OF  THE  KING  OF  PRUSSIA.  293 

my  lips  ;  let  me  thank  you  for  this  gracious  punishment  !  I 
am  grateful,  too,  for  the  gracious  confidence  with  which  you 
initiate  me  into  your  plans." 

"  That  is  unnecessary,"  said  the  emperor,  without  giving 
him  his  hand  ;  "  you  need  not  thank  me.  Nor  was  it  my  in- 
tention to  give  you  a  special  proof  of  my  confidence.  I  did 
not  cause  the  letter  to  be  read  to  you  in  order  to  have  you  par- 
ticipate in  my  plans,  but  only  to  prove  to  you  that  I  can  make 
up  my  mind  without  your  advice,  and  to  request  you  not  to 
molest  me  henceforth  with  any  such  suggestions.  Now, 
brother,  we  have  nothing  further  to  say  to  each  other.  Re- 
turn  to  Comorn,  and  carry  out  the  generalissimo's  order,  as 
behooves  a  good  officer,  promptly,  carefully,  and  without 
grumbling.  Fortify  and  hold  Raab,  defend  Presburg,  take 
Altenburg  by  a  coup  de  main;  in  short,  do  all  that  the  gen- 
eralissimo wants  you  to  do.  If  I  should  need  your  advice 
and  wisdom,  I  shall  send  for  you  ;  and  when  Baron  Steigen- 
tesch  returns  from  his  mission  to  Prussia,  you  shall  be  in- 
formed of  the  results.  Farewell,  brother,  and  let  me  soon 
hear  of  new  victories  ! " 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE  REPLY  OF  THE  KING  OF  PRUSSIA. 

Two  weeks  after  this  interview  between  the  Archduke 
John  and  the  emperor,  the  archduke,  at  the  request  of  the 
emperor,  repaired  again  to  the  imperial  headquarters  at  Wol- 
kersdorf,  and  sent  in  his  name  to  his  brother. 

"  You  come  just  in  time,  brother,"  said  the  emperor,  when 
John  entered  his  cabinet.  "  I  knew  that  Baron  Steigentesch 
would  arrive  here  to-day,  hence  I  sent  for  you,  for  I  promised 
to  let  you  hear  the  reply  of  the  King  of  Prussia  to  my  pro- 
posal. The  colonel  did  arrive  a  few  minutes  ago,  and  waits 
in  the  anteroom  for  an  audience." 

"  Before  admitting  him,  your  majesty,  pray  listen  to  me," 
said  John,  in  a  grave,  tremulous  voice. 


294  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"  I  hope  you  do  not  intend  to  reveal  a  secret  to  me  ?"  asked 
the  emperor. 

"  No,  your  majesty  ;  unfortunately  that  which  I  have  to  say 
to  you  will  soon  be  known  to  everybody,  and  our  enemies  will 
take  care  to  let  their  triumphant  bulletins  circulate  the  news 
throughout  Europe." 

"  It  is  a  defeat,  then,  that  you  have  to  announce  to  me  ? " 
asked  the  emperor,  gloomily. 

u  Yes.  your  majesty,  a  defeat.  I  met  the  enemy  yesterday 
at  Raab  [June  14, 1809].  Our  men  fought  bravely  ;  some  per- 
formed the  most  heroic  exploits  ;  but  the  odds  of  the  enemy 
were  too  overwhelming.  The  Viceroy  of  Italy  attacked  us 
with  his  well-disciplined  veteran  troops,  thirty-nine  thousand 
strong.  In  the  outset,  we,  that  is,  the  Archduke  Palatine  and 
I,  were  about  as  strong,  including  the  Hungarian  volunteers. 
But  the  very  first  attack  of  the  enemy,  the  first  volleys  of 
musketry,  caused  the  volunteers  to  fall  back  ;  they  fled  panic- 
struck,  abandoned  the  hill  where  I  had  posted  them,  and 
rushed  in  wild  disorder  from  the  field  of  battle.  The  enemy 
then  occupied  the  hill,  and  this  decided  the  fate  of  the  day 
against  us,  shortly  after  the  commencement  of  the  battle. 
However,  we  might  have  held  out  and  gained  a  victory,  if  all 
had  carried  out  my  orders  promptly  and  carefully,  and  if,  as 
usually  during  this  campaign,  no  obstacles  had  been  placed 
in  my  way." 

u  Ah,  archduke,  to  avoid  charges  being  preferred  against 
yourself,  you  intend  to  prefer  charges  against  others  ! "  ex- 
claimed the  emperor,  shrugging  his  shoulders. 

"  Yes,  your  majesty  ;  I  charge  Ignatius  Giulay,  Ban  of 
Croatia,  with  violation  of  my  orders,  disobedience,  and  inten- 
tional delays  in  making  the  movements  I  had  prescribed.  I 
had  ordered  the  Ban  in  time  to  join  me  at  Comorn  on  the  13th 
of  June,  and  he  had  positively  assured  me,  by  letter  and  ver- 
bally, that  he  would  promptly  be  on  hand  on  the  stated  day. 
I  counted  upon  his  arrival,  and  made  my  dispositions  accord- 
ingly. The  generalissimo  had  instructed  me  to  keep  open  my 
communications  with  the  main  army  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Danube  by  way  of  Raab  ;  and  I,  therefore,  started  on  the 
morning  of  the  13th  from  Comorn,  firmly  convinced  that 


THE  REPLY   OF  THE   KING  OF   PRUSSIA.  295 

Giulay's  troops  would  join  me  in  time  and  follow  me.  But  I 
waited  for  him  in  vain  ;  he  failed  me  at  the  critical  moment, 
despite  my  orders  and  his  promises,  and  this  was  the  principal 
reason  why  we  lost  the  battle."* 

''  You  prefer  a  grave  charge  against  a  man  whom  I  have 
always  found  to  be  faithful,  brave,  and  honorable,"  said  the 
emperor,  with  cutting  coldness. 

"  Your  majesty,  I  beg  you  to  be  so  gracious  as  to  call  the 
Ban  of  Croatia  to  a  strict  account,"  exclaimed  John,  vehement- 
ly. "  I  beg  you  to  be  so  gracious  as  to  send  for  the  orders 
which  I  gave  him,  and  ask  him  why  he  did  not  obey  them." 

"  I  shall  do  so,"  replied  the  emperor,  "  and  it  is  my  convic- 
tion that  he  will  be  able  to  justify  himself  completely." 

The  Archduke  John  gave  a  start,  a  deathly  pallor  over- 
spread his  cheeks,  his  eyes  shot  fire,  his  lips  opened  to  utter  an 
impetuous  word,  but  he  restrained  it  forcibly  ;  compressing  his 
lips,  pale  and  panting,  he  hastily  moved  back  a  few  steps  and 
approached  the  door. 

"  Stav  ! "  ordered  the  emperor,  in  a  harsh  voice.  "  I  have 
yet  some  questions  to  put  to  you.  You  are  responsible  for  this 
battle  of  Raab,  and  you  owe  me  some  explanations  concerning 
it.  How  was  the  retreat  effected?  Where  are  your  forces 
now  ? " 

"  The  retreat  was  effected  in  good  order,"  said  John,  in  a 
low,  tremulous  voice.  "I  marched  with  four  battalions  of 
grenadiers  and  two  battalions  of  Gratz  militia  slowly  along 
the  heights  to  Als,  where  we  arrived  at  midnight ;  and  to-day 
we  went  back  to  Comorn.  There  our  forces  are  now." 

"  And  Eaab  ?    Have  the  enemy  taken  it  already  ? " 

"  No,  your  majesty,  it  still  holds  out :  but  it  will  fall,  as  I 
told  your  majesty  two  weeks  ago,  for  the  generalissimo  has 
sent  me  neither  amunition  nor  re-enforcements,  despite  my 
most  pressing  requests." 

"  Is  that  to  be  another  charge  ? "  asked  the  emperor, 
sternly. 

"  No,"  said  John,  mournfully  ;  "  it  is  only  to  be  my  de- 
fence, for  unfortunately  it  is  always  necessary  for  me  to  de- 
fend myself." 

*  See  Schlosser's  "History  of  the  Eighteenth  Century,"  vol.  vii.,  p.  540. 


296  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Ah,  archduke,  you  always  consider  yourself  the  victim  of 
cabals,"  exclaimed  the  emperor  ;  "  you  believe  yourself  al- 
ways persecuted  and  calumniated  ;  you  suspect  invariably 
that  you  are  slighted  and  placed  in  false  positions  by  those 
who  are  jealous  of  your  exalted  qualities,  and  envious  of  your 
talents.  You  think  that  your  greatness  excites  apprehen- 
sions, and  your  genius  and  learning  create  misgivings,  and 
that  you  are  therefore  persecuted  ;  that  intrigues  are  entered 
upon  against  you,  and  that  not  sufficent  elbow-room  is  given 
to  your  abilities.  But  you  are  mistaken,  archduke.  I  am  not 
afraid  of  you,  and  although  I  admire  you,  and  think,  like 
you,  that  you  are  the  greatest  captain  of  the  age — " 

"Your  majesty,"  interrupted  John,  in  a  loud,  vehement 
voice,  "  your  majesty,  I — " 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ? "  cried  the  emperor,  hastily  advancing 
a  few  steps  toward  his  brother,  and  staring  at  him  with  de- 
fiant eyes.  "  What  have  you  got  to  say  to  me  ? " 

"  Nothing,  your  majesty,"  said  John,  in  a  hollow  voice  ; 
"  you  are  the  emperor  !  I  am  silent,  and  submit." 

"  And  you  are  very  prudent  in  doing  so,  for,  as  you  say,  I 
am  the  emperor,  and  I  will  remain  the  emperor,  despite  all 
my  great  and  august  brothers.  If  your  imperial  highness 
does  not  like  this,  if  you  think  you  are  treated  unjustly,  if 
you  consider  yourself  a  martyr,  why  do  you  not  imitate  what 
the  generalissimo  has  done  already  three  times  during  the 
present  campaign — why  do  you  not  offer  your  resignation  ? 
Why  do  you  not  request  your  emperor  to  dismiss  you  from 
his  service  ? " 

"  Will  your  majesty  permit  me  to  make  a  frank  and  hon- 
est reply  to  this  question  ? "  asked  John,  looking  at  the  em- 
peror firmly  and  gravely. 

"I  will." 

"  Well,  then,  your  majesty,  I  do  not  offer  my  resignation 
because  I  am  not  an  invalid  ;  because  I  am  young,  strong, 
and  able  to  work.  I  request  the  emperor  not  to  dismiss  me 
from  the  service,  because  I  serve  not  only  him,  but  the  father- 
land, and  because  I  owe  to  it  my  services  and  strength.  I 
know  well  that  many  would  like  me  to  retire  into  privacy 
and  withdraw  entirely  from  public  affairs  ;  but  I  cannot  fulfil 


THE  REPLY  OF  THE  KING   OF  PRUSSIA.  297 

their  wishes,  and  never  shall  I  withdraw  voluntarily  from  the 
service.  No  matter  what  wrongs  and  slights  may  be  inflicted 
upon  me,  they  will  be  fruitless,  for  they  will  never  shake  my 
purpose.  All  the  disagreeable  things  that  happen  to  me  in 
my  career,  I  think  proceed  from  individuals,  and  not  from 
the  fatherland  ;  why  should  I,  then,  avenge  myself  on  the 
fatherland  by  resigning  and  depriving  it  of  my  services  when 
it  has  done  me  no  wrong  ?  *  I  serve  the  fatherland  in  serv- 
ing your  majesty ;  should  I  resign,  I  should  be  unfaithful  to 
both  my  masters,  and  only  then  would  your  majesty  have  a 
right  to  despise  me." 

"  Listen,"  said  the  emperor  ;  "  the  word  fatherland  is  a 
dangerous  and  two-edged  one,  and  I  do  not  think  much  of  it. 
The  insurgents  and  revolutionists  have  it  always  in  their 
mouths  ;  and  when  rising  against  their  prince  and  refusing 
him  obedience,  they  likewise  say  that  they  do  so  in  the  serv- 
ice of  the  fatherland,  and  devote  their  strength  and  fidelity 
to  it.  The  soldier,  above  all,  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
fatherland,  but  only  with  his  sovei-eign  ;  it  is  to  him  alone 
that  he  has  sworn  allegiance,  and  to  him  alone  he  must  re- 
main faithful.  Now,  as  you  are  a  soldier  and  wish  to  remain 
in  the  service,  pray  bear  in  mind  that  you  have  sworn  alle- 
giance to  your  emperor,  and  let  me  hear  no  longer  any  of  your 
subtle  distinctions  between  your  emperor  and  your  father- 
land. And  now  that  you  have  reported  to  me  the  result  of 
the  disastrous  battle  of  Raab,  Baron  Steigentesch  may  come  in 
and  report  the  results  of  his  mission  to  Konigsberg.  Stay, 
therefore,  and  listen  to  him." 

The  emperor  rang  the  bell,  and  ordered  the  footman  who 
entered  the  room  to  admit  immediately  Minister  Count  Sta- 
dion  and  Colonel  Baron  Steigentesch.  A  few  minutes  later 
the  two  gentlemen  entered  the  cabinet. 

"  Now,  colonel,"  said  the  emperor  to  him,  "  you  are  to  re- 
port the  results  of  your  mission  to  Konigsberg,  and  I  confess 
I  am  quite  anxious  to  hear  them.  But  before  you  commence, 
I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  to  your  minister  of  foreign  affairs. 
On  the  same  day  that  I  dispatched  Colonel  Steigentesch  to 

*  The  archduke's  own  words.— See  his  "  Letters  to  Johannes  von  Mailer," 
P'92-  20 


298  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

Konigsberg,  I  handed  you  a  sealed  paper  and  ordered  you  to 
preserve  it  till  my  ambassador's  return.  Have  you  done  so  ? " 

"  I  have,  your  majesty." 

"  And  have  you  brought  it  with  you  now  ?  " 

"  Here  it  is,  your  majesty,"  said  Count  Stadion,  drawing  a 
sealed  envelope  from  his  bosom,  and  presenting  it  to  the  em- 
peror, with  a  low  bow.  Francis  took  it,  and  examined  the 
seal  with  close  attention,  then  held  it  to  his  nose  and 
smelled  it. 

"  Indeed,"  he  exclaimed  joyfully,  "  it  has  retained  its  per- 
fume, and  is  as  fresh  and  brilliant  as  though  it  had  been  put 
on  only  at  the  present  moment.  And  what  a  beautiful  crim- 
son it  is  !  I  have,  then,  at  length,  found  the  right  receipt  for 
good  sealing-wax,  and  this,  which  I  made  myself,  may  vie  with 
that  made  at  the  best  Spanish  factories.  Oh,  I  see,  this  seal- 
ing-wax will  drive  my  black  cabinet  to  despair,  for  it  will  be 
impossible  to  open  a  letter  sealed  with  it ;  even  the  finest 
knife  will  be  unable  to  do  it.  Do  you  not  think  so  too,  minis- 
ter?" 

"  I  am  no  judge  of  sealing-wax,"  said  Count  Stadion,  coldly, 
"  and  I  confess  that  I  did  not  even  look  at  the  seal  of  this  en- 
velope ;  your  majesty  ordered  me  to  keep  it  and  return  it  to 
you  after  Baron  Steigentesch's  return.  I  complied  with  your 
majesty's  orders,  that  is  all." 

The  emperor  smiled,  and  laid  the  sealed  paper  with  a 
slight  nod  on  the  table  by  his  side  ;  then  he  sank  into  an  easy- 
chair,  and  beckoned  to  the  gentlemen  to  take  seats  on  the 
chairs  on  the  other  side  of  the  table. 

"  Now,  Colonel  Steigentesch,  let  me  hear  the  results  of 
your  mission.  In  the  first  place,  tell  me,  has  King  Frederick 
William  sent  no  letter  to  me  in  reply  to  mine  ? " 

"  No,  your  majesty,"  replied  Colonel  Steigentesch,  with  a 
significant  smile  ;  u  I  am  only  the  bearer  of  a  verbal  reply.  I 
believe  the  king  thought  a  written  answer  too  dangerous,  or 
he  was  afraid  lest  he  should  thereby  compromise  himself. 
But  after  every  interview  I  had  with  the  king  or  the  queen, 
I  noted  down  every  word  their  majesties  spoke  to  me  ;  and  if 
your  majesty  permits,  I  shall  avail  myself  of  my  diary  in  re- 
plying to  you." 


THE  REPLY   OF  THE  KING  OF  PRUSSIA.  299 

"  Do  so,"  said  Francis,  "let  us  hear  what  you  noted  down 
in  your  diary." 

Colonel  Steigentesch  drew  a  memorandum-book  from  his 
bosom  and  opened  it. 

"  Well,  then,  how  did  the  king  receive  you  ? "  inquired 
Francis,  after  a  pause. 

"The  king  received  me  rather  coldly  and  stiffly,"  read 
Colonel  Steigentesch  from  his  diary  ;  "  he  asked  me  what  was 
the  object  of  my  mission.  I  replied  that  my  emperor's  letter 
stated  this  in  a  sufficiently  lucid  manner.  The  king  was 
silent  for  a  while  ;  then  he  said  rather  morosely  :  '  The  em- 
peror asks  for  succor  now  ;  but  hereafter  he  will,  perhaps, 
conclude  a  separate  peace  and  sacrifice  me.'  I  replied, 'The 
Emperor  Francis,  my  august  master,  does  not  ask  for  succor. 
The  battle  of  Aspern  has  proved  that  means  of  defence  are 
not  wanting  to  Austria.  But  as  it  is  the  avowed  object  of 
this  war  that  the  powers  should  recover  their  former  posses- 
sions, it  is  but  just  and  equitable  that  they  should  take  an 
active  part  in  the  contest,  whose  only  object  can  be  attained 
by  seizing  the  favorable  moment.  I  have  not  been  sent  to 
you  to  argue  a  question  which  should  be  settled  already, 
but  to  make  the  arrangements  necessary  for  carrying  it  into 
effect' " 

"An  expedient  reply,"  exclaimed  the  emperor,  nodding  his 
head  eagerly.  "  And  what  did  the  King  of  Prussia  answer  to 
you?" 

"  The  king  was  silent  a  while,  and  paced  his  room  repeat- 
edly, his  hands  clasped  on  his  back.  Then  he  stood  still  in 
front  of  me,  and  said  in  a  loud,  firm  voice  :  '  Despite  the 
fear  which  I  might  have  of  being  deserted  by  Austria,  I  am 
determined  to  ally  myself  one  day  with  your  court :  but  it  is 
not  yet  time.  Continue  the  war  ;  in  the  mean  time  I  will 
gradually  strengthen  my  forces  ;  only  then  shall  I  be  able  to 
take  a  useful  part  in  the  contest.  I  lack  powder,  muskets, 
and  money  ;  my  artillerists  are  all  young  and  inexperienced 
soldiers.  It  is  painful  to  me  to  avow  the  whole  wretchedness 
of  my  position  to  an  Austrian  officer  :  but  I  must  do  so  to 
prove  to  your  master  what  it  is  that  keeps  me  back  at  this 
juncture.  You  will  easily  convince  yourself  that  I  am  striv- 


300  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

ing  to  be  useful  to  you  by  all  means.  Your  sick  soldiers 
are  nursed  at  my  hospitals  and  sent  to  their  homes  ;  I  give 
leave  of  absence  to  all  my  officers  who  wish  to  serve  in  your 
army.  But  to  ask  me  to  declare  now  in  your  favor,  is  to  call 
upon  me  to  sign  my  own  ruin.  Deal  the  enemy  another 
blow,  and  I  will  send  an  officer  out  of  uniform  to  your  em- 
peror's headquarters  to  make  all  necessary  arrangements.'* 
After  these  words  the  king  bowed  to  me  and  dismissed  me." 

"  Ah,  indeed,  the  King  of  Prussia  gives  very  wise  advice," 
exclaimed  the  emperor  ;  "  we  are  to  deal  Bonaparte  another 
blow,  and  then  Prussia  will  negotiate  with  us.  After  we  have 
gained  another  victory,  the  cautious  King  of  Prussia  will  enter 
into  secret  negotiations  with  me,  and  send  to  my  headquarters 
an  officer,  but,  do  you  hear,  out  of  uniform,  in  order  not  to 
compromise  himself.  Did  you  not  wear  your  uniform,  then, 
colonel  ? " 

"  Pardon  me,  your  majesty,  I  did.  But  this  seemed  to  be 
disagreeable  to  the  king,  and  he  asked  me  to  doff  my  uni- 
form at  Konigsberg  ;  but  I  replied,  that  I  was,  since  the 
battle  of  Aspern,  so  proud  of  my  uniform  that  I  could  not 
doff  it.  t  The  king  thereupon  requested  me  to  state  publicly 
that  I  had  come  to  Prussia  only  for  the  purpose  of  asking  of 
the  king  permission  to  buy  corn  in  Silesia  and  horses  in  Prus- 
sia." 

"  And  you  complied  with  this  request,  colonel  ! " 

"  I  did  not,  your  majesty.  I  replied  that  I  could  not  even 
state  this,  for  it  was  repugnant  to  my  sense  of  honor  ;  how- 
ever, I  would  not  contradict  such  a  rumor  if  it  were  circu- 
lated." 

"  Very  well,  colonel,"  said  the  emperor,  smiling  ;  "  you 
have  acted  in  a  manner  worthy  of  a  true  Austrian.  And 
now  tell  me,  did  you  see  the  queen  also  ?  " 

"  I  did,  your  majesty.  Her  majesty  sent  for  me  on  the 
day  of  my  arrival.  The  queen  looked  pale  and  feeble,  but  she 
seemed  to  take  pains  to  conceal  her  sufferings  under  a  smile 
which  illuminated  her  face  like  a  sunbeam." 

"  See,  see,"  exclaimed  the  emperor,  sarcastically  ;  "our  colo- 

*  The  king's  own  words. — See  "  Lebensbilder,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  262. 
tlbid. 


THE   REPLY  OF  THE  KING  OF  PRUSSIA.  3Ql 

nel  talks  in  the  enthusiastic  strain  of  a  poet  now  that  he  re- 
fers to  the  queen.     Is  she  so  very  beautiful,  then  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  she  is  more  than  beautiful ;  she  is  at  the 
same  time  a  noble,  high-spirited  woman,  and  an  august 
queen.  Her  misfortunes  and  humiliations  have  not  bent  her 
neck,  but  this  noble  lady  seems  even  more  august  and  ma- 
jestic in  the  days  of  adversity  than  in  those  of  splendor  and 
prosperity." 

"  And  what  did  the  queen  say  to  you  ?  Was  she  of  her 
husband's  opinion  that  Austria  should  not  be  succored  at 
this  juncture,  and  that  Prussia,  before  declaring  in  our  favor, 
ought  to  wait  and  see  if  Austria  can  defeat  France  single- 
handed?" 

u  Your  majesty,  the  queen  was  more  unreserved  and  frank 
in  her  utterances  than  the  king.  She  openly  avowed  her 
hatred  against  Napoleon,  and  it  is  her  opinion  that  Prussia 
should  take  a  decided  stand  against  France.  '  For,'  she  said, 
'I  am  convinced  that  the  hatred  of  the  French  emperor 
against  Austria,  and  his  intention  to  overthrow  all  dynasties, 
leave  no  hope  of  peace.  I  am  the  mother  of  nine  children,  to 
whom  I  am  anxious  to  preserve  their  inheritance  ;  you  may, 
therefore,  judge  of  the  wishes  which  I  entertain.' "  * 

"  If  such  were  the  queen's  sentiments,  I  suppose  she  profited 
by  the  great  influence  which  she  is  said  to  have  over  her  hus- 
band, to  prevail  upon  him  to  take  a  bold  stand,  and  you  bring 
me  the  news  of  it  as  the  final  result  of  your  mission,  do  you 
not  ? " 

"  Pardon  me,  your  majesty,  I  do  not.  It  seems  the  influ- 
ence of  the  queen  does  not  go  far  enough  to  induce  the  king 
to  change  his  mind  after  he  has  once  made  it  up.  Now,  the 
king  has  resolved  not  to  ally  himself  with  Austria  at  this 
juncture,  but  to  wait  until  Austria,  as  he  says,  '  has  dealt  the 
Emperor  of  the  French  another  blow.'  All  my  interviews 
with  the  king  were,  as  it  were,  only  variations  of  this  theme. 
In  the  last  interview  which  I  had  with  the  king,  he  did  not 
express  any  thing  but  what  he  had  already  told  me  in  the 
first.  He  repeated  that  he  would,  as  soon  as  Austria  had 
dealt  France  another  decisive  blow,  send  an  officer  out  of  uni- 

*  The  queen's  own  words. — See  "  Lebensbilder,"  voL  iii.,  p.  260. 


302  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

form  to  the  headquarters  of  your  majesty  ;  but  then,  he 
added,  '  I  hope  to  come  myself,  and  not  alone. '  When  I  took 
leave  of  the  queen,  she  was  even  sadder  than  usual,  and  her 
voice  was  tremulous,  and  her  eyes  filled  with  tears,  when  she 
said  to  me  she  hoped  to  meet  me  soon  again  under  more  favor- 
able circumstances." 

"  And  what  did  the  other  persons  at  the  Prussian  court 
say  ?  How  did  the  princes,  the  generals,  and  ministers  ex- 
press themselves  ? " 

"  Prince  William,  the  king's  brother,  said  to  me  with  a 
shrug  :  '  You  will  not  find  the  spirit  reigning  here  much  to 
your  taste.  The  king's  irresolution  will  ruin  him  again.' 
The  princess,  his  wife,  apologized  for  not  inviting  me  to  din- 
ner, the  king  having  positively  forbidden  her  to  do  so.  The 
king's  generals  and  ministers  unreservedly  gave  vent  to  their 
impatience  and  indignation.  Grand-chancellor  von  Beyme 
said  to  me  :  '  The  king  would  like  to  unite  with  you,  but  he 
cannot  make  up  his  mind  to  do  so.  However,  as  everybody 
about  him  is  earnestly  in  favor  of  an  alliance  with  Austria,  I 
hope  that  the  king  will  be  carried  away.'  *  General  Blucher 
wrote  to  the  king  in  his  impetuous,  frank  manner,  that '  he 
would  not  witness  the  downfall  of  the  throne,  and  would  pre- 
fer serving  in  a  foreign  army,  provided  it  were  at  war  with 
the  French.'  Scharnhorst,  the  minister  of  war,  spoke  as  vi- 
olently, and  with  as  undisguised  hostility  against  France. 
He  presented  to  the  king  a  memoir,  in  which  he  said  :  'I  will 
not  go  dishonored  into  my  grave  ;  I  should  be  dishonored  did 
I  not  advise  the  king  to  profit  by  the  present  moment,  and  de- 
clare war  against  France.  Can  your  majesty  wish  that  Austria 
should  return  your  states  to  you  as  alms,  if  she  were  still  gener- 
ous enough  to  do  so  ;  or  that  Napoleon,  if  victorious,  should 
disarm  your  soldiers  like  the  militia  of  a  free  city  ? '  But  all 
these  remonstrances,  these  supplications,  nay,  even  the  tears 
of  the  queen,  were  in  vain.  The  king  repeated  that  he  would 
unite  with  Austria  one  day.  but  it  was  not  yet  time.  Austria 
ought  first  to  deal  France  another  blow,  and  gain  a  decisive 
victory  ;  then  would  have  come  for  Prussia  the  moment  to 
declare  openly  against  France.  This,  your  majesty,  is  the 

*  "  Lebensbilder,"  vol.  Hi.,  p.  262. 


THE  REPLY  OF  THE  KING  OF  PRUSSIA.  303 

only  reply  which  I  bring  with  me  from  my  mission  to 
Prussia." 

"  Well,  I  must  confess  that  this  reply  is  decidedly  cautious 
and  wise  ! "  exclaimed  the  emperor,  laughing.  "  After  we 
have  drawn  the  chestnuts  out  of  the  fire,  Prussia  will  be  kind 
enough  to  sit  down  with  Austria  and  help  her  to  eat  them. 
Well,  what  do  you  think  of  it,  brother  John  ? " 

"  I  think  that  this  hesitating  policy  of  Prussia  is  a  misfor- 
tune not  only  for  Austria  and  Prussia,  but  for  Germany.  For 
if  France  and  Russia  join  hands  now  against  our  disunited 
country,  Germany  will  be  lost.  The  welfare  of  Europe  is  now 
inseparably  bound  up  with  an  alliance  between  Austria  and 
Prussia,  which  can  alone  prevent  the  outbreak  of  a  European 
war.  But  this  alliance  must  be  concluded  openly,  unre- 
servedly, and  with  mutual  confidence.  No  private  interests, 
no  secondary  interests  calculated  to  frustrate  the  enterprise, 
but  the  great  ends  of  saving  the  states,  and  restoring  peace 
and  prosperity  to  humanity,  should  be  kept  constantly  in 
view  ;  then,  and  then  only,  success  will  crown  the  great  un- 
dertaking."* 

"  And  Prussia  seems  little  inclined  to  keep  such  ends  in 
view,"  said  the  emperor.  "Well,  minister,  you  do  not  say  a 
word.  You  were  so  eloquent  in  trying  to  gain  me  over  to  this 
alliance  with  Prussia  ;  you  assured  me  so  often  that  Prussia 
was  waiting  only  for  me  to  call  upon  her,  when  she  would  ally 
herself  with  me  :  and  now — 

"  Now,  your  majesty,"  said  Count  Stadion,  mournfully,  "  I 
see,  to  my  profound  sorrow,  that  Prussia  prefers  her  separate 
interests,  to  the  interests  of  Germany  ;  and  I  confess  that  I 
was  mistaken  in  Prussia." 

"  And  you  tried  to  convince  me  that  I  was  wrong  in  enter- 
taining a  different  opinion  ;  and  my  esteemed  brother  yonder 
spoke  so  wisely  and  loftily  of  our  Prussian  brethren,  and  the 
united  Germany  which  we  would  form  together  !  Well,  you 
shall  see  at  least  that,  although  I  yielded,  and,  to  get  rid  of  all 
you  wise  men,  applied  to  Prussia,  I  did  not  believe  in  the  suc- 
cess of  the  mission.  Minister,  be  kind  enough  now  to  take 

*  The  archduke's  own  words.— See  his  "  Letters  to  Johannes  von  Mailer," 
p.  91. 


304  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

the  letter  which  you  have  kept  for  me  so  long.  There  !  Now 
break  the  nice  seal,  open  the  letter,  and  read  to  us  what  I 
wrote  on  the  day  when  I  dispatched  Colonel  Steigentesch  to 
the  King  of  Prussia.  Read  !  " 

Stadion  unfolded  the  letter  and  read  : 

u  Colonel  Steigentesch  will  return  from  his  mission  with- 
out accomplishing  any  thing.  Prussia  and  Austria  are  rivals 
in  Germany,  and  will  never  join  hands  in  a  common  under- 
taking. Austria  can  never  forgive  Prussia  for  taking  Silesia 
from  her,  and  Prussia  will  always  secretly  suspect  that  Austria 
is  intent  upon  weakening  her  rising  power  and  humbling  her 
ambition.  Hence,  Prussia  will  hesitate  and  temporize  even  at 
this  juncture,  although  it  is  all-important  now  for  Germany 
to  take  a  bold  stand  against  her  common  enemy,  rapacious 
and  insatiable  France  ;  she  will  hesitate  because  she  secretly 
wishes  that  Austria  should  be  humiliated  ;  and  she  will  not 
bear  in  mind  that  the  weakening  of  Austria  is  fraught  with 
danger  for  Prussia,  nay,  the  whole  of  Germany." 

"  Now.  gentlemen,"  said  the  emperor,  when  Count  Stadion 
was  through,  "  you  see  that  my  opinion  was  right,  and  that  I 
well  knew  what  I  had  to  expect  from  Prussia.  We  must  now 
carry  on  the  struggle  against  France  single-handed ;  but.  after 
dealing  her  another  blow,  for  which  the  King  of  Prussia  longs, 
we  shall  take  good  care  not  to  invite  Prussia  to  our  victorious 
repast.  It  would  be  just  in  us  even  to  compel  her  to  give  us 
the  sweet  morsel  of  Silesia  for  our  dessert.  Well,  we  shall  see 
what  time  will  bring  about.  Our  first  blow  against  France 
was  successful. — Archduke,  go  and  help  us  to  succeed  in  dealing 
her  another ;  and,  after  defeating  France  single-handed,  we 
shall  also  be  masters  of  Germany." 


CHAPTER  XXVH. 

THE  BATTLE  OP  WAGRAM. 

"  AT  length  ! "  exclaimed  the  Archduke  John,  joyously, 
holding  up  the  letter  which  a  courier  of  the  generalissimo  had 
just  brought  him  from  the  headquarters  of  Wagram.  "  At 


THE   BATTLE   OF  WAGRAM.  305 

length  a  decisive  blow  is  to  be  struck. — Count  Nugent,  Gen- 
eral Frimont,  come  in  here  !  A  courier  from  the  generalis- 
simo ! " 

So  saying,  the  archduke  had  opened  the  door  of  his  cabinet, 
and  called  the  gentlemen  who  were  in  the  anteroom. 

"  A  courier  from  the  generalissimo,"  he  repeated  once  more, 
when  the  two  generals  came  in. 

"  Your  highness's  wish  is  fulfilled  now,  is  it  not  ? "  asked 
Nugent.  "  The  generalissimo  accepts  the  assistance  which 
you  offered  to  him.  He  permits  you  to  leave  this  position 
with  your  troops  and  those  of  the  Archduke  Palatine  and  re- 
enforce  his  own  army  ? " 

"  No,  he  does  not  reply  to  my  offer.  It  seems  the  general- 
issimo thinks  that  he  does  not  need  us  to  beat  the  French. 
But  he  writes  to  me  that  he  is  about  to  advance  with  his  whole 
army,  and  that  a  decisive  battle  may  be  looked  for.  He  says 
the  enemy  is  still  on  the  island  of  Lobau,  busily  engaged  in 
erecting  a  t&te-de-pont,  and  building  a  bridge  across  the 
Danube." 

"  And  our  troops  do  not  try  to  prevent  this  by  all  means  ! " 
cried  General  Frimont,  vehemently.  u  They  allow  the  enemy 
to  build  bridges  ?  They  look  on  quietly  while  the  enemy  is 
preparing  to  leave  the  island,  and  do  not  prevent  him  from  so 
doing  ? " 

"  My  friend,"  said  the  archduke,  gently,  "  let  us  never  for- 
get that  it  does  not  behoove  us  to  criticise  the  actions  of  the 
generalissimo,  and  that  our  sole  duty  is  to  obey.  Do  as  I  do  ; 
let  us  be  silent  and  submit.  But  let  us  rejoice  that  something 
will  be  done  at  length.  Just  bear  in  mind  how  long  this 
inactivity  and  suspense  have  lasted  already.  The  battle  of 
Aspern  was  fought  on  the  22d  of  May,  to^Jay  is  the  3d  of 
July  ;  and  in  the  mean  time  nothing  has  been  done.  The  en- 
emy remained  quietly  on  the  island  of  Lobau,  nursing  his 
wounded,  reorganizing  his  troops,  erecting  t&tes-de-pont.  and 
building  bridges  ;  and  the  generalissimo  stood  with  his  whole 
army  on  the  bank  of  the  Danube,  and  took  great  pains  to 
watch  in  idleness  the  busy  enemy.  Let  us  thank  God,  there- 
fore, that  at  last  the  enemy  is  tired  of  this  situation,  that  he  at 
length  takes  the  initiative  again,  and  brings  about  a  decision. 


306  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

The  generalissimo  informs  me  that  the  enemy's  artillery  dis- 
lodged our  outposts  yesterday,  and  that  some  French  infantry 
crossed  over  to  the  Miihlau.  The  generalissimo,  as  1  told  you 
before,  advanced  with  his  troops,  and  hopes  for  a  decisive  bat- 
tle within  a  few  days." 

"  And  yet  the  generalissimo  does  not  accept  the  assistance 
which  your  imperial  highness  offered  to  him  ? "  asked  Count 
Nugent,  shaking  his  head. 

"  No,  he  does  not.  The  generalissimo  orders  me,  on  the 
contrary,  to  stay  here  at  Presburg  and  operate  in  such  a  man- 
ner against  the  corps  stationed  here,  that  it  may  not  be  able  to 
join  Napoleon's  main  army.  Well,  then,  gentlemen,  let  us 
comply  with  this  order,  and  perform  at  least  our  humble  part 
of  the  generalissimo's  grand  plan.  Let  us  help  him  to  gain  a 
victory,  for  the  victory  will  be  useful  to  the  fatherland.  We 
will,  therefore,  form  a  pontoon-bridge  to-day,  and  make  a  sortie 
from  the  t£te-de-pont.  You,  General  Frimont,  will  order  up 
the  batteries  from  Comorn.  You,  General  Nugent,  will  inform 
the  Archduke  Palatine  of  the  generalissimo's  orders.  Write 
him  also  that  it  is  positive  that  the  enemy  is  moving  all  his 
troops  to  Vienna,  and  that  all  his  columns  are  already  on  the 
march  thither.  Tell  him  that  it  is  all-important  for  us  to  de- 
tain him,  and  that  I,  therefore,  have  resolved  to  make  a  sortie 
from  the  t£te-de-pont,  and  request  the  Archduke  Palatine  to 
co-operate  with  me  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Danube.  Let  us 
go  to  work,  gentlemen,  to  work  !  We  have  no  time  to  lose. 
The  order  is  to  keep  the  enemy  here  by  all  means  ;  let  us  strive 
to  do  it  I " 

And  they  went  to  work  with  joyous  zeal  and  untiring  en- 
ergy ;  all  necessary  dispositions  were  made  for  forming  a  pon- 
toon-bridge, and  preventing  the  enemy  from  joining  Napo- 
leon's main  army.  The  Archduke  John  superintended  every 
thing  in  person  ;  he  was  present  wherever  difficulties  were  to 
be  surmounted,  or  obstacles  to  be  removed.  In  his  ardent  zeal, 
he  did  not  hesitate  to  take  part  in  the  toils  of  his  men,  and  the 
soldiers  cheered  enthusiastically  on  seeing  him  work  so  hard 
in  the  midst  of  their  ranks. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  July  the  bridge  was 
completed,  the  t£te-de-pont  was  fully  armed,  and  every  thing 


THE   BATTLE  OF  WAGRAM.  307 

was  in  readiness  for  the  sortie.  The  Archduke,  who  had  not 
slept  all  the  night  long,  was  just  returning  from  an  inspection 
of  the  preparations,  when  a  courier  galloped  up  to  him  in  the 
middle  of  the  bridge.  On  beholding  the  archduke,  he  jumped 
from  his  horse,  and  handed  him,  panting  and  in  trembling 
haste,  a  letter  from  the  generalissimo. 

"  You  have  ridden  very  rapidly  ?  You  were  instructed 
then  to  make  great  haste  ? "  asked  John. 

"  I  rode  hither  from  Wagram  in  ten  hours,  your  imperial 
highness,"  said  the  courier,  breathlessly  ;  "  I  was  instructed  to 
ride  as  rapidly  as  possible." 

"  You  have  done  your  duty  faithfully.    Go  and  rest." 

He  nodded  kindly  to  the  courier,  and  repaired  to  his  head- 
quarters to  read  the  letter  he  had  just  received  from  his 
brother. 

This  letter  revoked  all  orders  which  had  been  sent  to  him 
up  to  this  time.  The  archduke  had  vainly  offered  his  co- 
operation and  that  of  the  Archduke  Palatine  four  days  ago. 
At  that  time  not  even  a  reply  had  been  made  to  his  offer  ; 
now,  at  the  last  moment,  the  generalissimo  called  impetuously 
upon  his  brother  to  hasten  to  his  assistance.  He  demanded 
that  the  Archduke  John  should  set  out  at  once,  leave  only 
troops  enough  to  hold  the  t$te-de-pont,  and  hasten  up  with  the 
remainder  of  his  forces  to  the  scene  of  action. 

When  the  archduke  read  this  order,  a  bitter  smile  played 
round  his  lips.  k<  See,"  he  said,  mournfully,  to  General  Fri- 
mout,  "  now  I  am  needed  all  at  once,  and  it  seems  as  if  the 
battle  cannot  be  gained  without  us.  It  is  all-important  for  us 
to  arrive  in  time  at  the  point  to  which  we  are  called  so  late, 
perhaps  too  late.  Ah,  what  is  that  ?  What  do  you  bring  to 
me,  Nugent  ? " 

"  Another  courier  from  the  generalissimo  has  arrived  ;  he 
brought  this  letter." 

"  You  see,  much  deference  is  paid  to  us  all  of  a  sudden  ;  we 
are  treated  as  highly  important  assistants,"  sighed  the  arch- 
duke. He  then  unfolded  the  paper  quickly  and  read  it. 

"The  generalissimo,"  he  said,  "informs  me  now  that  he 
has  changed  his  plan,  and  will  not  give  battle  on  the  bank  of 
the  Danube,  but  take  position  in  the  rear  of  Wagram.  He 


308  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

instructs  me  to  make  a  forced  march  to  Marchegg,  advance, 
after  resting  there  for  three  hours,  to  Siebenbrunn,  and  take 
position  there.  Very  well,  gentlemen,  let  us  carry  the  gen- 
eralissimo's orders  into  effect.  At  one  o'clock  to-night,  all 
must  be  in  readiness  for  setting  out.  We  need  the  time  be- 
tween now  and  then  to  concentrate  the  extended  lines  of 
our  troops.  If  we  are  ready  at  an  earlier  hour,  we  shall  set 
out  at  once.  Make  haste  !  Let  that  be  the  password  to- 
night ! " 

Thanks  to  this  password,  all  the  troops  had  been  concen- 
trated by  midnight,  and  the  march  was  just  about  to  begin 
when  another  courier  arrived  from  the  generalissimo,  and 
informed  the  archduke  that  the  enemy  was  advancing,  and 
that  it  was  now  the  generalissimo's  intention  to  attack  him 
and  force  him  to  give  battle.  The  Archduke  John  was  ordered 
to  march  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  Siebenbrunn,  whither  a 
strong  corps  of  the  enemy  had  set  out. 

The  Archduke  John  now  advanced  with  his  ten  thousand 
men  with  the  utmost  rapidity  toward  Marchegg.  The  troops 
were  exhausted  by  the  toils  and  fatigues  of  the  last  days  ;  they 
had  not  eaten  any  thing  for  twenty-four  hours  ;  but  the  arch- 
duke and  his  generals  and  staff-officers  always  knew  how  to 
stir  them  up  and  induce  them  to  continue  their  march  with 
unflagging  energy.  Thus  they  at  length  reached  Marchegg, 
where  they  were  to  rest  for  three  hours. 

But  no  sooner  had  they  arrived  there  than  Count  Eeuss, 
the  generalissimo's  aide-de-camp,  galloped  up  on  a  charger 
covered  all  over  with  foam.  The  count  had  ridden  in  seven 
hours  from  Wagram  to  Marchegg,  for  it  was  all-important 
that  the  archduke  should  accelerate  his  march.  The  battle 
was  raging  already  with  great  fury.  The  generalissimo  was 
in  urgent  need  of  the  archduke's  assistance.  Hence,  the  latter 
was  not  to  rest  with  his  troops  at  Marchegg,  but  continue  his 
march  and  advance  with  the  utmost  speed  by  Siebenbrunn  to 
Loibersdorf.  At  Siebenbrunn  he  would  find  Field-Marshal 
Rosenberg  ;  he  should  then,  jointly  with  him,  attack  the 
enemy. 

"  Let  us  set  out,  then,  for  Loibersdorf,"  said  John,  sighing  ; 
"  we  will  do  all  we  can,  and  thus  avoid  being  charged  with 


THE   BATTLE   OF  WAGRAM.  309 

tardiness.  Up,  up,  my  braves  !  The  fatherland  calls  us  ;  we 
must  obey  it  !  " 

But  the  soldiers  obeyed  this  order  only  with  low  murmurs, 
and  many  remained  at  Marchegg,  exhausted  to  death. 

The  troops  continued  their  march  with  restless  speed,  and 
mute  resignation.  The  archduke's  face  was  pale,  his  flashing 
eyes  were  constantly  prying  into  the  distance,  his  breast  was 
panting,  his  heart  was  filled  with  indescribable  anxiety,  and 
he  exhorted  his  troops  incessantly  to  accelerate  their  steps. 
Now  they  heard  the  dull  roar  of  artillery  at  a  distance  ;  and 
the  farther  they  advanced,  the  louder  and  more  terrific  re- 
sounded the  cannon.  The  battle,  therefore,  was  going  on,  and 
the  utmost  rapidity  was  necessary  on  their  part.  Forward, 
therefore,  forward  !  At  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  at 
last  reached  Siebenbrunn.  But  where  was  Field-Marshal 
Rosenberg  ?  What  did  it  mean  that  the  roar  of  artillery  had 
almost  entirely  died  away  ?  And  what  dreadful  signs  sur- 
rounded the  horizon  on  all  sides  ?  Tremendous  clouds  of 
smoke,  burning  villages  everywhere,  and  added  to  them  now 
the  stillness  of  death,  which  was  even  more  horrible  after  the 
booming  of  artillery  which  had  shaken  the  earth  up  to  this 
time.  Where  was  Field-Marshal  Rosenberg  ? 

An  officer  galloped  up  at  full  speed.  It  was  a  messenger 
from  Field-Marshal  Rosenberg,  who  informed  the  archduke 
that  he  had  been  repulsed,  that  all  was  over,  and  that  the  day 
was  irretrievably  lost. 

"  I  have  been  ordered  to  march  to  Loibersdorf,"  said  the 
archduke,  resolutely  ;  "  I  must  comply  with  my  instructions." 

And  he  continued  his  march  toward  Loibersdorf.  Patrols 
were  sent  out  and  approached  Wagram.  The  fields  were  cov- 
ered with  the  dead  and  wounded,  and  the  latter  stated  amid 
moans  and  lamentations  that  a  dreadful  battle  had  been 
fought,  and  that  the  Austrians  had  been  defeated. 

The  archduke  listened  to  these  reports  with  a  pale  face  and 
quivering  lips.  But  he  was  still  in  hopes  that  he  would  re- 
ceive a  message  from  the  generalissimo  ;  hence,  he  remained 
at  Loibersdorf  and  waited  for  news  from  his  brother.  Night 
came  ;  profound  stillness  reigned  all  around,  broken  only  now 
and  then  by  dull  reports  of  cannon  and  musketry  fired  at  a 


310  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

distance  ;  and  there  was  no  news  yet  from  the  generalissi- 
mo 1 

One  of  the  patrols  now  brought  in  a  French  officer  who 
had  got  separated  from  his  men,  and  whom  the  Austrians  had 
taken  prisoner.  The  archduke  sent  for  him,  and  asked  him 
for  information  regarding  the  important  events  of  the  day. 

The  officer  gave  him  the  required  information  with  spark- 
ling eyes  and  in  a  jubilant  voice.  A  great  battle  had  been 
fought  during  the  previous  two  days.  The  French  army  had 
left  the  Island  of  Lobau  on  four  bridges,  which  Napoleon  had 
caused  to  be  built  in  a  single  night  by  two  hundred  carpenters, 
and  had  given  battle  to  the  Archduke  Charles  at  Wagram. 
A  furious  combat  had  raged  on  the  5th  and  6th  of  July. 
Both  armies  had  fought  with  equal  boldness,  bravery,  and  ex- 
asperation ;  but  finally  the  Archduke  Charles  had  been  com- 
pelled to  evacuate  the  field  of  battle  and  retreat.  The  Em- 
peror Napoleon  had  remained  in  possession  of  the  field  ;  he 
had  gained  the  battle  of  Wagram. 

Large  drops  of  sweat  stood  on  the  archduke's  forehead 
while  he  was  listening  to  this  report ;  his  eyes  filled  with  tears 
of  indignation  and  anger  ;  his  lips  quivered,  and  he  lifted  his 
eyes  reproachfully  to  heaven.  Then  he  turned  slowly  to  Gen- 
eral Frimont,  who  was  halting  by  his  side,  and  behind  whom 
were  to  be  seen  the  gloomy,  mournful  faces  of  the  other 
officers. 

"  The  generalissimo  has  lost  a  battle,"  he  said,  with  a  sigh. 
"  This  is  a  twofold  calamity  for  us.  You  know  that  we  could 
not  come  sooner.  We  arrived  even  at  an  earlier  hour  than  I 
had  promised.  You  will  see  that  the  whole  blame  for  the  loss 
of  the  battle  will  be  laid  at  our  door,  and  we  shall  be  charged 
with  undue  tardiness.  This  pretended  tardiness  will  be  wel- 
come to  many  a  one.  A  scapegoat  is  needed,  and  I  shall  have 
to  be  this  scapegoat ! "  * 

The  Archduke  John  was  not  mistaken  ;  he  had  predicted 
his  fate.  He  was  really  to  be  the  scapegoat  for  the  loss  of  the 
battle.  In  the  proclamation  which  the  Archduke  Charles 
issued  to  his  army  a  few  days  afterward  at  Znaym,  and  in 

*  The  archduke's  own  words.— See  Hormayr's  work  on  "  The  Campaign 
of  1809,"  p.  236. 


THE  ARMISTICE  OF  ZNAYM.  311 

which  he  informed  it  that  he  had  concluded  an  armistice  with 
the  Emperor  Napoleon,  he  deplored  that,  owing  to  the  too  late 
arrival  of  the  Archduke  John,  the  battle  had  not  been  won, 
despite  the  admirable  bravery  which  the  troops  had  displayed 
at  Wagram,  and  that  the  generalissimo  had  been  compelled 
thereby  to  retreat. 

The  Archduke  John  did  not  defend  himself.  He  lifted  his 
tearful  eyes  to  heaven  and  sighed  :  "  Another  battle  lost,  and 
this  battle  decides  the  fate  of  Austria  !  Now  Prussia  will  not 
ally  herself  with  us,  for  we  did  not  strike  the  second  blow 
which  the  king  demanded,  and  she  will  look  on  quietly  while 
Austria  is  being  humiliated  !  O  God,  God,  protect  Austria  1 
Protect  Germany  !  save  us  from  utter  ruin  1 " 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE  ARMISTICE  OF  ZNAYM. 

THE  guests  of  Anthony  Steeger,  the  innkeeper  of  Lienz,  had 
been  greatly  excited  to-day ;  they  had  talked,  debated,  lamented, 
and  sworn  a  great  deal.  In  accordance  with  the  request 
of  Andreas  Hofer.  the  most  influential  leaders  of  the  Tyrolese 
had  met  there  and  drawn  up,  as  Hofer  proposed,  a  petition  to 
the  Emperor  Francis,  who  was  now  in  Hungary  at  one  of  the 
palaces  belonging  to  the  Prince  of  Lichtenstein.  The  disas- 
trous tidings  of  the  battle  of  Wagram  had  been  followed  a  few 
days  afterward  by  news  fully  as  disheartening.  The  Arch- 
duke Charles  had  concluded  an  armistice  with  the  Emperor 
Napoleon  at  Znaym,  on  the  12th  of  July,  1809.  By  this  armis- 
tice hostilities  were  to  be  suspended  till  the  20th  of  August ; 
but  in  the  mean  time  the  Austrians  were  to  evacuate  the  Tyrol, 
Styria.  and  Carinthia  entirely,  and  restore  to  the  Bavarians 
and  French  the  fortified  cities  which  they  had  occupied. 

These  calamitous  terms  of  the  armistice  had  induced  An- 
dreas Hofer  to  summon  some  of  his  friends  to  Lienz,  and  draw 
up  with  them  a  petition  to  the  emperor,  in  which  they  im- 
plored him  with  touching  humility  to  have  mercy  upon  them 
in  their  distress,  and  not  to  forsake  his  faithful  Tyrol.  They 


312  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

stated  that  they  had  been  told  that  the  Austrian  troops,  in 
accordance  with  the  stipulations  of  the  armistice,  were  to 
evacute  the  Tyrol,  but  this  did  not  confer  upon  the  French 
and  Bavarians  the  right  of  occupying  the  Tyrol.  They  be- 
sought the  emperor  to  prevent  this,  and  not  to  permit  the 
enemy  to  occupy  the  country. 

Such  were  the  contents  of  the  petition  which  Andreas 
Hofer  and  the  other  leaders  of  the  Tyrolese  had  signed  to-day 
at  the  inn  of  Anthony  Steeger,  at  Lienz,  and  which  Jacob 
Sieberer  was  to  convey  as  the  last  cry  of  the  despairing  Tyrol 
to  the  headquarters  of  the  emperor  at  Totis,  while  Eisen- 
stecken  was  to  deliver  a  copy  of  the  petition  to  General  Buol, 
commander-in-chief  of  the  Austrian  troops. 

Night  had  now  come  ;  the  friends  and  comrades  had  long 
since  left  Anthony  Steeger's  house,  and  Andreas  Hofer  alone 
remained  with  him  to  talk  with  his  faithful  friend  about  the 
disastrous  change  in  their  affairs,  and  the  gloomy  prospects  of 
the  future. 

"I  cannot  believe  that  all  is  as  they  say,"  said  Andreas 
Hofer,  with  a  sigh.  "The  emperor  promised  us  solemnly 
never  to  give  up  or  forsake  again  his  faithful  Tyrol,  and  it 
would  be  high-treason  to  suppose  that  the  emperor  will  not 
honestly  redeem  his  pledges.  No,  no  ;  I  tell  you,  Anthony, 
the  emperor  and  our  dear  Archduke  John  certainly  do  not 
intend  to  abandon  us  ;  only  the  Austrian  generals  are  op- 
posed to  the  continuance  of  the  war,  and  long  to  get  away 
from  our  mountains,  because  they  are  afraid  of  Bonaparte, 
and  think  he  would  punish  them  if  they  should  stay  here  any 
longer  and  refuse  to  deliver  the  province  to  his  tender  mer- 
cies." 

"  I  am  likewise  loth  to  believe  that  the  Emperor  Francis 
would  forsake  us,"  said  Anthony  Steeger,  nodding  his  head 
approvingly.  "  For  the  emperor  loves  us,  and  will  not  allow 
us  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  infidel  Bonaparte,  who  has 
just  committed  another  outrage  by  arresting  the  Holy  Father 
in  Rome  and  dragging  him  away  from  his  capital." 

"Well,  the  Holy  Father  excommunicated  him  for  this 
outrage,"  cried  Andreas  Hofer,  with  flashing  eyes ;  "  he  called 
down  the  wrath  of  God  and  man  on  the  head  of  the  Anti- 


THE   ARMISTICE  OF  ZNAYM.  313 

christ,  and  rendered  it  incumbent  on  every  pious  Christian  to 
wage  war  against  the  criminal  who  laid  his  ruthless  hands  even 
upon  the  holy  Church,  and  trampled  under  foot  him  whom  the 
Almighty  has  anointed.  Anthony  Steeger,  let  me  tell  you,  I 
will  not  allow  the  French  to  return  to  our  country,  and  never 
•will  I  permit  the  Austrians  to  evacuate  the  Tyrol." 

"  And  how  will  you  prevent  them  from  so  doing  ?  "  asked 
Anthony  Steeger,  shrugging  his  shoulders. 

"  I  said  to-day  how  I  and  all  of  us  are  going  to  prevent  it. 
We  shall  not  suffer  the  Austrians  to  depart ;  we  shall  keep 
them  here  by  prayers,  stratagems,  or  force.  I  have  given  in- 
structions to  all  the  commanders  to  do  so  ;  I  have  given 
them  written  orders  which  they  are  to  communicate  to  our 
other  friends,  and  in  which  I  command  them  not  to  permit 
the  departure  of  the  Austrians.  I  believe  I  am  commander- 
in-chief  as  yet,  and  they  will  obey  my  bidding." 

"  If  they  can  do  it,  Andy,  they  certainly  will ;  but  what  if 
they  cannot  ?  What  if  the  Austrians  cannot  be  kept  here  by 
prayers  or  stratagem  ? " 

*'  In  that  case  we  must  resort  to  force,"  cried  Hofer,  im- 
petuously. "  We  must  compel  them  to  stay  here  ;  the  whole 
Tyrol  must  rise  as  one  man  and  with  its  strong  arms  keep  the 
Austrians  in  the  country.  Yes,  yes,  Anthony,  we  must  do  it ; 
it  will  be  best  for  us  all.  It  must  look  as  though  we  de- 
tain the  Austrians  by  force,  and  this  will  be  most  agreeable 
to  the  Emperor  Francis  ;  for  what  fault  of  his  is  it  that  the 
Tyrolese  prevent  him  from  carrying  out  what  he  promised  to 
Bonaparte  in  the  armistice  ?  It  is  not  his  fault,  then,  if  the 
Austrians  stay  here,  and  if  we  prevent  them  from  leaving  our 
mountains.  We  must  detain  them,  we  must.  And  I  will 
write  immediately  to  old  Red-beard,  Father  Haspinger,  Jo- 
seph Speckbacher,  and  Anthony  Wallner.  I  will  summon 
them  to  a  conference  with  me,  and  we  will  concert  measures 
for  a  renewed  rising  of  the  Tyrol.  Give  me  pen  and  ink, 
Tony ;  I  will  write  in  the  first  place  to  old  Red-beard,  and 
your  Joe  shall  take  the  letter  this  very  night  to  his  con- 
vent." 

Anthony  Steeger  hastened  to  bring  him  what  he  wanted, 
and  while  Hofer  scrawled  the  letter,  his  friend  stood  behind 
21 


314  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

him,  and  followed  with  attentive  eyes  every  word  which  An- 
dreas finished  with  considerable  difficulty. 

Both  were  so  much  absorbed  in  the  letter  that  they  did  not 
perceive  that  the  door  opened  behind  them,  and  that  Baron 
von  Hormayr,  in  a  dusty  travelling-dress,  entered  the  room. 
For  a  moment  he  stood  still  at  the  door  and  cast  a  searching 
glance  on  the  two  men  ;  he  then  advanced  quickly  toward 
Andreas  Hofer,  and,  laying  his  hand  on  his  shoulder,  he  said  : 
''  Well,  Andy,  what  are  you  writing  there  ? " 

Andreas  looked  up,  but  the  unexpected  arrival  of  the 
baron  did  not  seem,  to  excite  his  surprise.  u  I  am  writing  to 
old  Red-beard,"  he  said  ;  "  I  am  writing  to  him  that  he  is  to 
come  to  me  immediately.  And  after  finishing  the  letter  to 
old  Red  beard,  I  will  write  the  same  thing  to  Speckbacher 
and  Anthony  Wallner,  Mr.  Intendant  of  the  Tyrol." 

"  Do  not  apply  that  title  to  me  any  longer,  Andy,"  said 
Hormayr,  with  a  slight  frown.  *'  I  am  no  longer  intendant 
of  the  Tyrol,  for  you  know  that  we  must  leave  the  Tyrol  and 
restore  it  to  the  French  and  Bavarians." 

u  I  for  one  do  not  know  it,  Mr.  Intendant  of  the  Tyrol," 
cried  Andreas,  with  an  angry  glance.  "  I  know  only  that  the 
Archduke  John  appointed  you  military  intendant  of  the  Tyr- 
ol, and  that  you  took  a  solemn  oath  to  aid  us  in  becoming 
once  more,  and  remaining,  Austrians." 

"I  think,  Andy,  I  have  honestly  redeemed  my  pledges," 
said  Hormayr.  "  I  assisted  you  everywhere  to  the  best  of  my 
power,  was  always  in  your  midst,  encouraging,  organizing, 
lighting,  and  mediating  ;  and  I  think  you  will  admit  that  I 
had  likewise  my  little  share  in  the  deliverance  of  the  Tyrol, 
and  proved  myself  one  of  its  good  and  faithful  sons." 

"  Well,  yes,  it  is  true,"  murmured  Hofer  ;  "  you  did  a  great 
deal  of  good,  and,  above  all  things,  you  gained  over  to  our 
side  the  Austrian  generals,  who  would  not  have  anything  to 
do  with  us  peasants,  and  refused  to  make  common  cause  with 
us  ;  for  you  possess  a  very  eloquent  tongue,  and  what  can  be 
accomplished  by  means  of  the  tongue  you  do  accomplish. 
But  now,  sir,  the  tongue  will  no  longer  suffice,  and  we  must 
fight  also  with  the  sword." 

"  God  forbid,  Andy  ! "  exclaimed  Hormayr  ;  "  you  know 


THE  ARMISTICE  OF  ZNAYM.  315 

that  the  emperor  has  concluded  an  armistice  with  Bona- 
parte, and  while  it  lasts  we  are  not  allowed  to  fight  with  the 
sword." 

u  The  emperor  has  concluded  an  armistice  ?  Well,  then, 
let  there  be  an  armistice.  But  you  will  not  confine  yourself 
to  an  armistice — you  intend  to  evacuate  the  Tyrol.  That 
seems  to  me  no  fair  armistice,  and  therefore  I  shall  summon 
old  Red-beard,  and  my  other  faithful  friends,  and  concert 
with  them  measures  to  prevent  you  from  concluding  such  an 
unfair  armistice,  and  forsaking  us." 

'"  And  Andy  is  right  in  doing  so  ! "  exclaimed  Anthony 
Steeger.  '•  We  must  not  permit  the  Austrians  to  leave  the 
province,  and  we  are  firmly  resolved  that  we  will  not." 

"You  are  fools,  both  of  you/'  said  Hormayr,  shrugging  his 
shoulders.  "  The  Emperor  Francis  agreed  positively  that  the 
Austrian  troops  should  evacuate  the  Tyrol  during  the  armis- 
tice ;  hence,  the  troops  must  leave,  lest  the  emperor  should 
break  his  word." 

"  But  if  they  do,  the  emperor  breaks  the  word  he  pledged 
to  us,"  cried  Anthony  Steeger,  vehemently. 

"  Anthony  Steeger,"  said  Hormayr,  sternly,  "  I  have  come 
hither  to  have  an  interview  with  Andreas  Hofer,  to  whom  I 
wish  to  communicate  something  of  great  importance.  There- 
fore, be  so  kind  as  to  withdraw,  and  leave  me  alone  with 
him." 

"  I  believe  Andy  does  not  want  to  keep  any  thing  secret 
from  me,  and  I  might,  therefore,  just  as  well  stay  here.  Say, 
Andy,  is  it  not  so  ? " 

"  It  is.     Speak,  Mr.  Intendant ;  Tony  may  hear  it  all." 

"  No,  Andy,  I  shall  not  speak  unless  I  am  alone  with  you  ; 
and  what  I  have  to  say  to  you  is  highly  important  to  the 
Tyrol.  But  no  one  but  yourself  must  hear  it. " 

"  If  that  is  the  case,  go  out  and  leave  me  alone  with  the  in- 
tendant,"  said  Hofer,  shaking  hands  with  his  friend. 

Anthony  Steeger  cast  an  angry  glance  on  Hormayr,  and 
left  the  room.  "  I  know  very  well  why  he  wanted  to  get  rid 
of  me,"  he  growled,  as  soon  as  he  was  out  in  the  hall.  "  He 
intends  to  persuade  Andreas  Hofer  to  leave  with  the  Austrians 
and  abandon  the  Tyrol.  He  thinks  when  he  is  alone  with 


316  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

Hofer,  he  will  yield  sooner  because  he  is  a  weak  and  good- 
hearted  man,  who  would  like  to  comply  with  every  one's 
wishes.  He  thinks  if  I  were  present  I  should  tell  Andy  the 
truth,  and  not  permit  him  to  desert  our  cause,  and  set  a  bad 
example  to  the  others.  Well,  I  will  keep  a  sharp  lookout,  and 
if  the  intendant  really  tries  to  take  him  away  with  him,  I  will 
endeavor  to  detain  him  forcibly." 

When  the  door  had  closed  after  Anthony  Steeger,  Hor- 
mayr  nodded  kindly  to  Andreas  Hofer  and  shook  hands  with 
him. 

"  Now  we  are  alone,  Andy,"  he  said,  "  and  will  speak  con- 
fidentially a  word  which  no  one  is  to  hear  save  us  two." 

"  But  you  should  always  bear  in  mind  that  God  Almighty 
is  present,  and  listens  to  us,"  said  Hofer,  lifting  his  eyes  de- 
voutly to  heaven. 

"  We  shall  speak  nothing  that  can  offend  the  good  God  ! :' 
exclaimed  Hormayr,  laughing.  "  We  shall  speak  of  you, 
Andy,  and  the  Tyrol.  I  wish  to  pray  you,  Andy,  in  the  name 
of  the  Archduke  John,  who  sent  me  to  you,  and  who  sent  his 
kindest  greetings  with  me,  not  to  close  your  ears  against  good 
and  well-meant  advice. " 

"  What  did  the  archduke  say  ?  What  does  he  want  of 
me  ? "  asked  Andreas,  quickly. 

u  He  wishes  Andreas  Hofer,  like  himself,  to  submit  to  the 
emperor's  orders  quietly  and  patiently  ;  he  wishes  Andreas 
Hofer  to  yield  to  stern  necessity,  and  no  longer  sow  the  seeds 
of  hatred  and  discord,  but  obey  the  will  of  his  master  with 
Christian  humility  and  resignation.  He  wishes  Andreas  Hofer 
to  set  a  good  example  to  all  the  Tyrolese,  and  undertake  noth- 
ing in  opposition  to  the  stipulations  of  the  armistice  ;  and  the 
Archduke  John  finally  wishes  his  beloved  Andreas  Hofer  to 
secure  his  life  and  liberty  by  leaving  the  Tyrol  with  the  Aus- 
trian troops,  and  remaining  for  some  time  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  imperial  army." 

"  Never,  never  will  I  do  that ! "  cried  Andreas,  vehe- 
mently ;  u  never  will  I  leave  my  beloved  country  !  I  swore  to 
the  priest,  and  in  my  own  heart,  that,  while  I  lived,  I  would 
be  faithful  to  my  God,  my  emperor,  and  my  country,  and  that 
I  would  spill  the  last  drop  of  blood  for  our  liberty,  our  consti- 


THE   ARMISTICE   OF  ZNAYM.  317 

tution,  and  our  emperor  ;  and  never  will  I  break  my  oath, 
never  will  I  desert  my  flag  like  a  faithless  soldier  ! " 

"  But,  Andy,  you  are  not  to  desert  it,  but  only  convey  it  to 
a  place  of  safety  for  a  short  time.  Listen  to  me,  Andy,  and 
let  me  tell  you  all  about  it.  You  think  all  may  be  changed 
yet,  and  you  may  prevent  the  Austrians  from  leaving  your 
mountains.  But  unfortunately  it  is  already  too  late.  Already 
the  Austrian  general-in-chief,  Baron  von  Buol,  has  concen- 
trated his  scattered  forces,  and  marched  them  to-night  from 
Brixen  to  Schabs.  There  you  can  do  nothing  against  him  ; 
his  artillery  and  ammunition  are  safe  there,  and  you  cannot 
hinder  him  from  marching  with  his  troops  this  very  day  into 
Carinthia." 

"  But  we  can  prevent  General  Schmidt  from  surrendering 
the  fortress  of  Sachsenburg  to  General  Rusca,"  cried  Andreas, 
triumphantly. 

"  Do  you  think  Commander  Joseph  Turk,  in  Upper  Carin- 
thia, surprised  and  occupied  the  fortress  of  Sachsenburg  im- 
mediately, because  you  wrote  to  him  to  do  so  previous  to  Rus- 
ca's  arrival  ?  You  look  at  me  so  wonderingly,  you  big  child  ? 
See,  here  is  your  letter  to  Joseph  Turk  !  Our  men  intercepted 
it ;  hence,  Joseph  Turk  did  not  occupy  the  fortress,  and  Gen- 
eral Rusca  has  arrived  there  already." 

"  It  is  my  letter,  indeed,"  sighed  Andreas  Hofer,  staring  at 
the  paper  which  Hormayr  had  handed  to  him.  "  They  did 
not  allow  it  to  reach  Joseph  Turk  ;  they  no  longer  respect 
what  I  say  and  do." 

"  They  cannot,  Andy,  for  your  and  their  superior,  the  em- 
peror, has  ordered  the  soldiers  to  evacuate  the  Tyrol.  It  was 
surely  most  repugnant  to  the  emperor  to  do  so,  and  I  know 
that  the  Archduke  John  shed  tears  of  grief  and  rage  on  being 
obliged  to  instruct  General  Buol  to  evacuate  the  Tyrol.  But 
he  submitted  to  stern  necessity,  and  you  will  do  so  too, 
Andy." 

"  What  am  I  to  do,  then  ?  What  do  you  want  of  me  ? " 
asked  Andreas,  with  tears  in  his  eyes. 

"  The  Archduke  John  wants  you  to  preserve  yourself  for 
better  times,  Andy.  He  implores  you  to  repair  to  a  place  of 
safety,  not,  only  for  the  sake  of  your  wife  and  children,  but 


318  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

also  for  that  of  your  fatherland.  Believe  me,  Andreas,  a 
gloomy  time  is  dawning  upon  the  Tyrol.  The  enemy  is  ap- 
proaching on  all  sides,  and  the  French  and  Bavarians  have 
already  crossed  the  frontiers  of  the  Tyrol  in  order  to  occupy  it 
again." 

"  And  all  our  blood  has  been  shed  in  vain  !  "  cried  Hofer, 
bursting  into  tears.  "  All  the  faithful  Tyrolese  who  have  fall- 
en in  battle  gave  up  their  lives  for  nothing.  We  fought 
bravely  ;  the  good  God  helped  us  in  battle  ;  but  men  deserted 
us,  and  even  the  emperor,  for  whom  we  fought,  will  not  redeem 
the  pledges  he  gave  us,  nor  help  us  in  our  sore  distress." 

"  The  emperor  will  never  abandon  his  faithful  Tyrolese," 
said  Hormayr  ;  "only  you  must  be  patient.  He  cannot  do 
any  thing  now  :  he  can  not  endanger  his  whole  empire  to 
serve  the  small  province  of  the  Tyrol.  For  the  time  being, 
further  resistance  is  out  of  the  question,  but  the  emperor  profits 
by  the  armistice  to  concentrate  a  new  army  ;  and  when  hos- 
tilities are  resumed,  he  will  first  think  of  the  Tyrol,  and  de- 
liver it  from  the  enemy." 

"  But  until  then  the  Tyrol  itself  ought  to  maintain  its  lib- 
erty ! "  exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer,  with  flashing  eyes.  "  Lis- 
ten to  what  I  wish  to  say  to  you,  Mr.  Intendant.  and  what  God 
Himself  prompt*  me  to  tell  you.  I  see  full  well  that  the  em- 
peror himself  is  unable  to  speak  for  the  Tyrol,  and  cannot  or- 
der his  troops  to  remain  in  the  country  ;  I  see  full  well  that 
the  emperor,  sorely  pressed  as  he  is  by  Bonaparte,  cannot  do 
any  thing  for  us.  But  until  he  is  ready  again,  some  one  ought 
to  be  courageous  enough  to  take  his  place,  and,  as  the  em- 
peror's lieutenant,  defend  the  Tyrol  against  the  enemy.  You, 
Mr.  Intendant,  are  the  man  to  do  it.  You  have  often  assured 
us  that  you  were  a  brave  and  patriotic  son  of  the  Tyrol ;  prove 
BOW  that  you  told  us  the  truth.  Instead  of  leaving  the  Tyrol 
at  this  hour  of  its  greatest  peril,  and  surrendering  it  to  the  en- 
emy, place  yourself  at  its  head,  protect  it  against  the  enemy, 
and  preserve  it  to  the  emperor.  *  Become  Duke  of  Tyrol,  take 
charge  of  the  government  and  defence  of  the  country.  As  pro- 
visional duke,  call  upon  the  faithful  people  to  take  up  arms, 
and  they  will  rise  as  one  man  and  defend  its  frontiers  against 

"  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  103. 


THE   ARMISTICE  OF  ZXAYM.  319 

every  enemy.  Rule  over  the  Tyrol  in  the  emperor's  place, 
until  he  himself  is  able  again  to  do  so  and  fold  us  again  to  his 
heart." 

''  What  you  say  is  nonsense,  Andy,"  exclaimed  Hormayr, 
shrugging  his  shoulders.  "You  want  me  to  become  provi- 
sional Duke  of  Tyrol  ?  Why,  the  whole  world  would  laugh  at 
me,  and  the  emperor  would  punish  me  as  a  rebel  ! " 

"Well,  then,"  cried  Andreas  Hofer,  in  a  powerful  voice, 
"  if  you  will  not  do  it,  I  will  1  I  shall  take  charge  of  the  gov- 
ernment and  call  myself  '  Andreas  Hofer,  Sand wirth  of  Pas- 
seyr  and  Duke  of  Tyrol,'  as  long  as  it  pleases  God  ! "  * 

u  No,  you  will  not,  Andy,"  said  Hormayr,  gravely  ;  "  you 
will  be  sensible,  on  the  contrary,  and  not,  from  worldly  pride, 
endanger  your  country,  your  friends,  and  yourself.  Bear  in 
mind,  Andy,  that  you  would  be  responsible  for  the  blood  that 
would  be  shed,  if  you  should  incite  the  people  to  rebellion, 
and  that  you  would  be  the  murderer  of  all  those  who  should 
fall  in  the  struggle  provoked  by  you  so  recklessly  and  in  open 
opposition  to  the  orders  of  your  emperor.  Bow  your  head, 
Andy,  and  submit  as  we  all  do.  Intrust  your  and  our  cause  to 
God  ;  as  it  is  good  and  just,  He  will  not  forsake  it,  but  ren- 
der it  victorious  when  it  is  time." 

'*  I  believe  you,"  sighed  Andreas ;  "  but  how  can  I  keep  quiet 
when,  as  you  have  often  told  me,  I  am  God's  instrument  and 
destined  by  Him  to  deliver  the  dear  Tyrol  from  the  enemy  ? 
And  what  would  my  brave  lieutenants  say  if  their  com- 
mander-in-chief,  Andreas  Hofer,  were  to  leave  the  country  in 
its  sore  distress,  after  he  had  taken  an  oath  to  defend  it  while 
he  lived  ?  Would  they  not  point  their  fingers  at  me,  and  call 
me  a  traitor,  a  Judas  Iscariot  who  sold  his  country  for  the 
sake  of  his  own  safety  ? " 

"  You  are  mistaken,  Andy.  You  think  your  friends,  the 
captains  and  other  commanders,  with  whom  you  fought  for 
the  deliverance  of  the  Tyrol,  would  despise  you  if  you  fol- 
lowed the  Austrians  now  and  saved  your  life  ?  Now  listen  to 
me,  my  friend.  Your  best  friends,  the  brave  Tyrolese  cap- 
tains, in  whom  you  repose  the  greatest  confidence,  will  leave 

*  Andreas  Hofer's  own  words. — See  Hormayr's  "  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  ii.. 
p.  861. 


320  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

the  Tyrol  this  very  day  of  their  own  accord  and  accompany 
our  Austrian  troops  to  Carinthia." 

"  That  is  false,  that  is  impossible  ! "  cried  Andreas,  ve- 
hemently. "  Speckbachcr  will  never  do  so." 

"Yes,  he  will,  Andy.  I  saw  him  this  morning.  He  re- 
sisted and  fought  as  long  as  he  could  ;  but  since  the  armistice 
compels  him  to  lay  down  the  sword,  and  since,  moreover,  the 
French  and  Bavarians  are  entering  the  country  once  more,  he 
feels  that  it  is  better  for  him  to  save  his  life  than  be  caught 
and  hung  here  by  the  vindictive  enemy.  Hence,  Speck- 
bacher  accepted  the  offer  of  the  Austrian  officers,  and  will  ac- 
company them." 

"  Joseph  Speckbacher  will  leave  the  Tyrol  ? "  murmured 
Andreas  Hofer,  mournfully. 

il  And  he  is  not  the  only  one,  Andreas  :  Aschbacher,  Piich- 
ler,  Sieberer,  and  many  other  brave  captains  of  the  Tyrolese, 
will  likewise  leave  with  the  Austrians.  All  have  asked  me  to 
implore  you  to  follow  their  example,  and  flee  from  the  perils 
menacing  you  all.  Oh,  believe  them,  believe  me,  Andreas  ! 
If  you  stay  here,  the  Bavarians  will  not  rest  until  they  have 
taken  you  prisoner — until  their  hated  enemy,  the  formidable 
Barbone,  has  fallen  into  their  hands.  Dear  Andy,  think  of 
your  wife  at  home,  the  faithful  Anna  Gertrude,  who  prays  for 
you  morning  and  evening,  and  beseeches  the  Almighty  to 
spare  the  life  of  her  dear  husband  ;  think  of  your  dear  chil- 
dren, whose  only  protector  and  supporter  you  are  ;  do  not 
make  your  dear  wife  a  widow,  nor  your  sweet  children  or- 
phans !  Andreas  Hofer,  you  cannot  now  be  useful  to  the 
fatherland  ;  save  yourself,  then,  for  your  wife  and  children  ! " 

"  My  good  wife,  my  dear  children  ! "  sighed  Andreas,  pro- 
foundly moved  ;  "  it  is  true,  they  love  me  dearly,  and  would 
be  very  lonely  on  earth  if  their  father  should  be  taken  from 
them!" 

"  Preserve  their  father  to  them,  then,  and  preserve  yourself 
also  to  the  fatherland  !  Follow  the  example  of  your  brave 
friends  Speckbacher,  Aschbacher,  Sieberer,  and  all  the  others ; 
accompany  us,  leave  the  Tyrol  for  a  while,  and  when  the  time 
has  come,  return  with  them  and  fight  once  more  for  the  de- 
liverance of  the  country." 


THE   ARMISTICE   OF  ZNAYM.  32] 

"  Speckbacher  will  leave,  and  so  will  all  the  others,"  mur- 
mured Andreas  to  himself.  "  The  Tyrol  will  fall  again  into 
the  enemy's  hands,  and  all  has  been  in  vain  ! " 

He  hung  his  head  and  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

*'  Come,  Andreas,  be  sensible  ;  think  of  yourself  and  your 
family,"  said  Hormayr,  beseechingly.  "  I  have  come  hither 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  taking  you  with  me  ;  let  me  not  have 
travelled  in  vain  from  Brixen  to  Lienz.  Come,  Andreas, 
come  !  My  carriage  is  in  readiness  at  the  door  ;  let  us  ride  to- 
gether to  Matrey.  Speckbacher,  the  other  friends,  and  the 
Austrians  are  waiting  for  us  there  ;  we  shall  cross  the  Tyro- 
lese  frontier  with  them  this  very  day,  and  you  and  all  your 
friends  will  be  safe.  Therefore,  do  not  hesitate  any  longer, 
but  come  ! " 

"  I  cannot  make  up  my  mind  so  suddenly,"  said  Hofer,  dis- 
engaging himself  gently  from  the  hand  of  Hormayr,  who  was 
trying  to  draw  him  up  from  his  chair.  "It  is  a  grave,  mo- 
mentous step  which  you  ask  me  to  take,  and  before  I  can  do 
so  I  must  consult  God  and  pray  to  him  fervently.  Therefore, 
pray  leave  me  alone  a  little  while,  that  I  may  speak  to  the 
good  God  and  consult  him  and  my  conscience." 

"Very  well,  Andy,  I  give  you  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to 
make  up  your  mind,"  exclaimed  Hormayr,  approaching  the 
door. 

"  A  quarter  of  an  hour  is  not  enough,"  said  Andreas,  shak- 
ing his  head.  "  It  is  late  at  night,  and  night  is  the  time  for 
repose  and  prayer.  Therefore,  stay  here,  Mr.  Inteudant ;  sleep 
a  few  hours,  and  to-morrow  morning,  at  sunrise,  come  to  my 
chamber  and  awaken  me.  I  will  tell  you  then  what  God  in 
heaven  has  told  me  to  do." 

"  You  pledge  me  your  word,  Andreas,  that  you  will  not 
leave  during  the  present  night  ?" 

"I  do.  I  shall  stay  here.  And  now  good-night.  My 
heart  is  profoundly  moved,  and  I  long  for  repose.  This  is  my 
chamber  :  I  begged  Anthony  Steeger  to  let  me  have  it ;  he 
has  fine  rooms  for  aristocratic  guests  up-stairs,  and  he  will 
give  you  one  of  them.  "  Now  good-night,  sir  !  " 

He  bowed  kindly  to  the  baron,  shook  hands  with  him,  and 
conducted  him  to  the  door. 


322  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

CHAPTEE  XXIX. 

HOFER  AND  SPECKBACHER. 

SCARCELY  had  the  sun  risen  next  morning  when  Baron 
von  Hormayr  arose  and  quickly  prepared  every  thing  for 
their  departure.  After  seeing  that  his  carriage  was  at  the 
street  door,  he  descended  the  staircase  in  order  to  go  to  An- 
dreas Hofer. 

Anthony  Steeger  followed  him  with  a  gloomy  face,  and 
watched  his  every  movement  attentively.  "  If  he  tries  to  take 
Andy  with  him,"  he  said  to  himself,  ''  I  will  strangle  him.  It 
is  true,  he  has  told  me  already  that  Hofer  will  accompany 
him,  but  I  do  not  believe  it,  and  he  shall  not  coax  him  away. 
This  time  I  shall  be  present,  and  see  what  he  is  after." 

They  stood  now  in  front  of  Hofer's  door,  and  Hormayr  put 
his  hand  on  the  knob  to  open  it,  but  it  was  locked  on  the 
inside. 

"  Andreas  Hofer,  Andreas  Hofer  !  "  he  shouted  out  almost 
imperatively.  "  The  time  is  up  ;  come  to  me,  Andreas  Ho- 
fer ! " 

The  door  opened,  and  the  tall,  powerful  form  of  the  Sand- 
wirth  appeared  in  it. 

"  Here  I  am/'  he  said,  smiling  calmly,  "  and  you  see  I  am 
ready  to  set  out." 

"  You  will  accompany  me  then,  Andy  ? "  asked  Hormayr, 
joyfully. 

"  You  will  leave  us  ? "  cried  Anthony  Steeger,  indignantly. 

"I  was  waiting  for  you,  sir,"  said  Andreas,  quietly  ;  "and 
if  you  had  not  come  of  your  own  accord,  Tony,  I  should  have 
called  you,  for  you  shall  hear  what  I  have  got  to  say  to  the 
intendant.  Come  in,  then,  both  of  you,  and  let  us  speak  a 
last  word  with  each  other.  Anthony  Steeger,  Baron  von 
Hormayr,  our  countryman,  came  hither  to  persuade  me  to  ac- 
company him  and  leave  the  Tyrol.  Our  friends  will  do  the 
same  thing,  for  the  Bavarians  and  French  are  already  enter- 
ing the  country.  Speckbacher,  Sieberer,  and  others,  will  save 
their  lives  for  this  reason,  and  go  with  the  Austrians ;  and 


HOFER  AND  SPECKBACHER.  323 

the  intendant  thinks  I  ought  to  do  the  same,  for  the  sake  of 
my  wife  and  children.  However,  I  wished  first  to  consult  the 
good  God.  1  did  so  all  night  long.  I  prayed  and  reflected  a 
great  deal,  and  it  seemed  to  me  as  though  the  Lord  spoke  to 
me  and  enlightened  my  soul  to  find  the  true  path.  Listen 
then,  Mr.  Intendant  of  the  Tyrol,  and  you,  too,  friend  Anthony 
Steeger,  to  what  I  have  resolved  to  do  with  God's  assistance. 
I  took  an  oath  to  serve  the  fatherland  as  long  as  I  lived  ;  as 
an  honest  man,  I  must  keep  my  word,  and  stay  in  the  Tyrol." 

Anthony  Steeger  uttered  a  loud  cry  of  joy,  but  Hormayr's 
face  grew  very  sombre.  "  You  do  not  see,  then,  that  you  are 
rushing  upon  your  own  destruction  ? "  he  asked.  "  You  are 
intent  on  rendering  your  wife  and  children  unhappy  ?  You 
are  bent  on  incurring  the  most  imminent  peril  ?" 

"  I  will  incur  it  courageously/'  said  Hofer,  kindly.  "  I  know 
very  well  that  what  I  am  about  to  do  is  not  prudent,  but  it  is 
right.  When  the  tempter  took  Jesus  up  into  an  exceeding 
high  mountain,  showed  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
and  their  glory,  and  said,  '  All  these  things  will  I  give  Thee, 
if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me,'  the  Saviour  did  not 
accept  the  offer,  but  remained  true  to  Himself,  and  sealed  His 
teachings  with  his  death  I  will  follow  the  Saviour's  ex- 
ample, and  never,  while  I  live,  prove  recreant  to  the  love 
which  I  vowed  to  the  dear  Tyrol  ;  never  will  I  leave  it,  but  I 
will  stand  by  it  and  serve  it  to  the  last.  Depart,  then,  Baron 
von  Hormayr  ;  I  cannot  accompany  you,  for  the  country 
keeps  me  here,  and  never  will  I  abandon  it  whatever  may 
happen  ! "  * 

"  Is  that  your  last  word,  Andreas  ? "  asked  Hormayr, 
gloomily. 

"It  is,"  said  Hofer,  gently.  "But  pray,  sir,  do  not  be 
angry  with  me  for  it.  Were  I  more  prudent  and  sagacious, 
I  should  certainly  follow  your  advice  ;  but  I  am  only  a  plain 
peasant,  and  cannot  but  obey  the  promptings  of  my  heart. 
Let  the  Austrians  leave  the  Tyrol.  Andreas  Hofer  cannot 
accompany  them,  nor  can  he  look  on  quietly  while  the  enemy 
is  re-entering  the  country.  Many  brave  men,  many  excellent 
sharpshooters  will  remain  in  the  Tyrol,  and  I  shall  call  upon 

*  u  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Audreaa  Hofer,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  104. 


324  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

them  to  rally  round  me.  We  have  twice  delivered  the  country 
from  the  enemy  without  any  outside  assistance,  and  we  shall, 
perhaps,  succeed  a  third  time." 

"  But  if  you  should  fail,1'  cried  Hormayr,  "  if  the  seduced 
Tyrolese  should  curse  you,  if  the  tears  and  lamentations  of 
your  family  should  accuse  you,  if  you  ruin  yourself  and  your 
country,  then  remember  this  hour,  and  the  warning  I  gave 
you  in  order  to  save  you  !  " 

"I  will,  Mr.  Intendant,"  said  Andreas,  calmly.  "Every 
one  must  do  his  duty  after  his  own  fashion.  You  think  you 
are  doing  yours  by  leaving  the  Tyrol  ;  I  think  I  do  mine  by 
staying  in  the  country.  God  will  decide  which  did  right. 
And  now,  God  bless  you,  sir  !  Greet  Speckbacher  and  all  the 
others  ;  and  when  you  see  the  Archduke  John,  tell  him  that 
my  heart  has  not  lost  faith  in  him,  and  that  I  know  full  well 
he  would  never  have  given  up  the  poor  Tyrol  if  he  could  have 
helped  it.  And  now,  sir,  do  not  look  at  me  so  indignantly ; 
shake  hands  with  me,  and  let  us  part  in  peace." 

He  held  out  his  hand,  but  Hormayr,  overcome  by  his  emo- 
tion, spread  out  his  arms  and  threw  them  around  Hofer's  neck 
with  an  air  of  impassioned  tenderness. 

"  Farewell,  Andy,  farewell,"  he  said,  in  a  low  voice.  "  I 
cannot  approve  of  what  you  are  doing,  but  I  must  love  and 
admire  you  for  all  that.  Farewell,  farewell ! " 

He  disengaged  himself  quickly,  hastened  out  of  the  room, 
and  walked  hurriedly  through  the  hall.  A  few  minutes  after- 
ward his  carriage  rolled  away  with  thundering  noise. 

"  He  is  gone ! "  cried  Anthony  Steeger,  joyously ;  "  the  tempt- 
er has  left  us,  and  you  have  remained  firm,  Andy ;  you  did 
not  allow  yourself  to  be  seduced  by  his  blandishments.  The 
Tyrol  will  reward  you  and  love  you  for  it  for  evermore  ! " 

"  If  you  speak  the  truth,  it  is  well ;  if  you  do  not,  it  is  well 
too,"  said  Andreas,  calmly.  "I  remain  because  it  is  my  duty, 
and  because  I  feel  that  the  Tyrol  needs  me.  Anthony,  the 
enemy  is  re-entering  the  country ;  we  must  drive  him  out  a 
third  time  ;  that  is  my  opinion." 

"It  is  mine,  too,"  replied  Anthony  Steeger,  exultingly. 
"  After  succeeding  twice  in  so  doing,  we  shall  expel  him  a 
third  time  also. " 


HOfER  AND  SPECKBACHER.  325 

"It  is  true,  it  is  a  bad  and  mournful  thing  that  Speck- 
bacher  is  going  to  desert  us,"  said  Andreas,  musingly;  but 
Anthony  Wallner  and  the  Capuchin  will  surely  stand  by  us, 
and  Peter  Mayer  will  not  leave  us  either.  Besides,  you  are 
here,  and  so  am  I,  and  we  five  men  will  raise  our  voices  and 
call  upon  the  people  to  rise  and  expel  the  enemy  once 
more.  I  believe  the  brave  men  will  listen  to  our  voices,  and 
not  one  of  them  will  stay  at  home  ;  all  will  come  to  us, 
bring  their  rifles  with  them,  and  fight  the  French  and  Bava- 
rians." 

"  I  think  so  too,  Andy.  When  the  brave  Tyrolese  bear 
your  voice,  they  will  come  to  a  man,  and  we  will  achieve 
another  Innspruck  triumph,  and  gain  another  victory  on 
Mount  Isel." 

"  God  grant  it  in  His  mercy  ! "  exclaimed  Andreas,  touch- 
ing the  crucifix  on  his  breast.  "  But  I  must  set  out  now,  my 
friend.  So  long  as  we  are  unable  to  cope  with  the  enemy,  we 
must  avoid  meeting  him,  conceal  our  forces,  and  prepare 
actively  for  the  struggle.  Hence,  I  shall  not  tell  you  where 
I  am  going,  and  no  one  shall  learn  of  my  whereabouts  until 
the  time  has  come  for  me  to  appear  once  more  at  the  head  of 
a  strong  and  brave  army.  Do  your  duty  here,  Tony,  and  en- 
list courageous  sharpshooters  for  the  fatherland.  Inform  all 
the  patriots  secretly  of  my  plan,  and  tell  them  that  we  must 
not  heed  the  armistice  concluded  by  Austria,  but  must  fight 
on  for  our  liberty  and  our  emperor.  Have  my  horse  brought 
to  the  door,  my  friend ;  the  sun  is  already  over  the  moun- 
tains, and  it  is  time  for  me  to  start." 

Anthony  Steeger  hastened  away ;  he  saddled  his  friend's 
horse  with  his  own  hands  and  brought  him  to  the  door. 
Andreas  vaulted  with  the  agility  of  a  youth  into  the  saddle, 
and  shook  hands  with  his  friend. 

*'  Farewell,  Anthony  Steeger,"  he  said  ;  "  you  shall  hear 
from  me  soon." 

He  then  spurred  his  horse  and  galloped  along  the  high- 
way leading  through  the  Puster  valley.  His  horse  knew  the 
way  very  well  ;  it  was  unnecessary  for  Andreas  Hofer  to 
guide  him  ;  he  could  let  him  trot  along  quietly,  and  absorb 
himself  in  his  plans  and  thoughts.  He  was  animated  only 


326  ANDREAS   IIOFER. 

by  one  idea,  that  his  beloved  country  was  in  danger,  and  that 
it  needed  him. 

"  I  do  not  know  if  I  shall  be  able  to  save  it,"  he  murmured 
to  himself,  ''  but  I  do  know  that  I  must  not  run  away.  I  shall 
hide  as  long  as  it  is  necessary,  and  prepare  myself  by  prayer 
and  devotion.  Forward,  my  horse,  forward  ! " 

And  he  rode  on  through  the  valley  and  across  the  heights. 
Profound  silence  reigned  everywhere.  It  was  yet  early  in  the 
morning,  the  road  was  quite  deserted,  and  Andreas  could 
brood  uninterruptedly  over  his  thoughts  and  conceive  his 
plans.  All  at  once  his  musings  were  interrupted  by  the  roll  of 
a  wagon  approaching  on  the  road.  It  was  a  large  wagon 
with  racks,  drawn  by  four  horses,  and  many  men  sat  in  it. 
Andreas  Hofer  was  as  yet  unable  to  see  who  they  were,  but 
the  red  and  white  colours  of  their  gold-and-silver-embroidered 
coats  showed  him  that  they  were  soldiers.  When  the  wagon 
came  closer  up  to  him,  he  recognized  them  ;  they  were  Aus- 
trian officers  and  soldiers.  But  who  was  he  that  occupied 
one  of  the  front  seats  among  them  ?  Who  was  that  tall, 
slender  man  in  the  dress  of  the  Tyrolese,  his  head  covered 
with  a  pointed  green  hat  ?  The  wagon  came  nearer  and 
nearer.  Andreas  Hofer  halted  his  horse  and  looked  stead- 
fastly at  the  Tyrolese  seated  in  the  midst  of  the  Austrian 
officers.  "  Good  heavens,"  he  murmured,  giving  a  start,  "  I 
believe  it  is  Joseph  Speckbacher  !  Yes,  yes,  it  is." 

Now  the  wagon  was  close  by  his  side,  and  it  was  really 
he,  it  was  Joseph  Speckbacher  ;  and  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen 
that  he  had  likewise  recognized  Andreas  Hofer,  for  he  uttered 
a  cry,  and  a  deep  blush  suffused  his  cheeks.  But  the  Aus- 
trian officers  had  also  recognized  the  brave  Sandwirth,  the  uni- 
versally beloved  Barbone,  and  they  shouted  to  the  coachman 
to  drive  quicker  and  whip  his  horses  into  a  full  gallop.  The 
coachman  did  so,  and  the  carriage  sped  away  at  a  furious  rate. 
Andreas  Hofer  halted  at  the  roadside  ;  his  tearful  eyes  gazed 
upon  his  friend,  and  when  Speckbacher  was  whirled  past  him, 
Andreas  exclaimed  in  a  loud,  mournful  voice,  *'  Speckbacher, 
are  you  too  going  to  desert  the  country  ?  They  are  driving 
you  to  your  own  disgrace,  Joe  ! "  * 

*  Andreas  Hofer's  own  words. — See  Mayr's  "  Joseph  Speckbacher,"  p.  148. 


HOFER  AND   SPECKBACHER.  327 

The  wagon  passed  him  noisily,  and  Joseph  Speckbacher's 
horse,  which  was  tied  behind,  galloped  rapidly  after  it.  An- 
dreas Hofer  looked  after  his  friend  until  a  cloud  of  dust  en- 
veloped the  disappearing  wagon,  and  he  heard  only  the  sound 
of  the  wheels  at  a  distance.  He  then  heaved  a  deep  sigh, 
wiped  a  tear  from  his  eye,  and  rode  on.  But  his  heart  was 
heavy  and  melancholy,  and  his  thoughts  returned  again  and 
again  during  his  ride  on  the  lonely  road  to  Joseph  Speck- 
bacher,  who  had  turned  his  back  on  the  Tyrol  and  was  about 
to  leave  it  in  the  hour  of  its  sorest  distress.  Suddenly  he 
thought  he  heard  his  own  name  uttered  behind  ;  the  call  was 
repeated  louder  and  more  urgently. 

Andreas  Hofer  halted  his  horse  and  turned.  A  cloud  of 
dust  came  up  the  road  like  a  whirlwind  ;  now  it  opened,  and 
the  head  and  neck  of  a  horse  and  the  slender  rider  mounted 
on  him  came  in  view.  The  cloud  veils  his  face  as  yet,  but  he 
comes  nearer  and  nearer;  his  horse  is  now  by  Andreas  Hofer's 
side,  the  rider  stretches  out  his  arms  toward  him  and  exclaims 
exultingly  :  "  Andy,  here  I  am  !  I  heard  what  you  said,  and 
jumped  from  the  wagon,  untied  my  horse,  vaulted  into  the 
saddle,  and  sped  after  you,  my  Andy.  I  had  to  overtake  you 
and  tell  you  that  I  do  not  want  to  be  disgraced  ;  that  I  will 
not  leave  the  Tyrol  unless  you  do  too." 

"I  never  will,  Joe,  unless  I  should  die,"  said  Andreas 
Hofer,  solemnly.  "  But  God  be  praised  that  I  have  got  you 
back,  for  a  piece  of  my  heart  would  have  left  the  country  with 
you.  But  you  are  back,  and  I  am  so  glad  of  it !  And  I  must 
give  you  a  kiss  in  the  name  of  God,  the  country,  and  the  Em- 
peror Francis.  Welcome  home,  good  and  faithful  son  of  the 
fatherland ! " 

He  encircled  Speckbacher's  neck  with  his  arms  and  im- 
printed a  kiss  on  his  forehead.  They  remained  locked  in  a 
long  embrace,  keeping  their  horses  side  by  side,  and  gazing 
at  each  other  with  proud,  smiling  joy. 

"And  now  tell  me,  Andy,  what  are  you  going  to  do?" 
asked  Speckbacher,  after  a  long  pause.  "I  hope  you  will  not 
look  on  quietly  and  peaceably  while  the  Bavarians  and  French 
are  re-entering  the  country  ?  I  could  not  bear  it,  and  this  was 
the  very  reason  why  I  did  not  want  to  stay  in  the  country  ; 


328  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

for  the  Austrian  officers  told  me,  if  I  wished  to  remain  in  the 
Tyrol,  I  should  have  to  keep  very  quiet  and  allow  the  enemy 
to  take  possession  of  the  province,  in  accordance  with  the 
stipulations  of  the  armistice.  And  you  see,  Andy,  my  heart 
revolted  at  that  ;  therefore  I  wished  to  get  away  and  i-emain 
abroad  until  the  armistice  had  expired,  when  we  would  be 
once  more  allowed  to  fight  bravely  for  our  country  and  our 
emperor." 

"No  one  shall  prevent  us  from  doing  so  now,"  said  An- 
dreas, calmly.  "  What  do  we  care  for  the  armistice  ?  The 
emperor  concluded  it ;  we  did  not,  and  I  believe  the  emperor 
will  not  blame  us  for  disregarding  it  and  continuing  the  war 
as  we  commenced  it/' 

"  You  are  right,  we  will  do  so,"  exclaimed  Speckbacher, 
joyfully.  "  And  now  I  will  communicate  to  you  some  impor- 
tant news  which  the  Austrian  officers  received  only  this  morn- 
ing. Anthony  Wallner,  of  Windisch-Matrey  is  also  of  your 
opinion  ;  he  refuses  likewise  to  acknowledge  the  armistice 
and  make  peace  with  the  enemy.  When  the  Bavarians,  four 
days  ago,  intended  to  cross  the  frontier  near  Windisch-Ma- 
trey, Anthony  Wallner  and  John  Panzl  went  to  meet  them 
with  four  hundred  sharpshooters  whom  they  had  gathered  in 
great  haste.  They  took  position  at  the  bridge  of  Taxenbach 
and  tried  to  prevent  the  Bavarians  from  crossing  it.  The  Ba- 
varians were  seven  thousand  strong,  and  Wallner  had  only 
four  hundred  men  ;  but  our  friends,  nevertheless,  defended 
the  bridge  for  seven  hours,  killed  and  wounded  over  three 
hundred  Bavarians,  and  retreated  into  the  mountains  only  be- 
cause the  odds  were  too  great."  * 

"I  know  Anthony  Wallner,  and  was  convinced  that  he 
would  not  submit  quietly,"  said  Andreas,  joyfully.  "  And  we 
will  follow  his  example,  Joseph.  The  good  God  has  imposed 
on  us  the  task  of  defending  the  Tyrol,  and  we  will  fulfil  it 
faithfully." 

"Yes,  we  will,  and  we  will  begin  this  very  hour.  We 
must  find  out,  above  all  things,  if  all  of  our  countrymen 
are  of  our  opinion,  and  if  they  are  courageous  enough 

*  Peternader,  "  Die  Tyroler  Landesvertheidigung  im  Jahre  1809,"  vol.  iL, 
p.  84. 


HOFER  AND  SPECKBACHER.  329 

to  continue   the   struggle,  even   after   the   Austrians   have 
left  us." 

"  What  good  did  the  Austrians  do  us  while  they  were 
here  ? "  asked  Andreas,  indignantly.  "  Let  me  tell  you,  Joe, 
on  the  whole  I  am  glad  that  the  Austrians  are  evacuating 
the  province.  It  is  better  for  us  to  fight  alone,  and  trust 
only  our  own  strength.  Regular  troops  and  insurgents 
never  fight  well  together  in  the  end,  for  there  are  always 
jealousies  between  them  ;  they  mutually  charge  each  other 
with  the  blunders  committed  during  the  campaign,  and 
grudge  each  other  the  glory  obtained  in  the  battles.  Hence, 
it  is  better  for  us  to  be  alone  and  have  no  other  allies 
than  the  good  God,  the  Holy  Virgin,  and  her  blessed 
Son."* 

"You  are  right,  always  right,  Andy,"  said  Speckbacher. 
u  We  will  go  courageously  to  work,  then  ;  and  you  shall  see, 
my  Andy,  that  Speckbacher  is  still  what  he  always  was,  and 
that  he  will  henceforth  never  think  of  leaving  the  country, 
but  will  stand  faithfully  by  it  and  fight  until  the  enemy  has 
been  expelled  once  more,  and  we  are  free  again.  I  will  ride 
now  through  the  whole  Puster  valley,  and  then  from  Brun- 
ecken  through  the  Dux  valley  to  my  home,  the  Rinn  ;  and  I 
will  stir  up  the  people  everywhere,  and  call  upon  the  men  to 
follow  me  and  fight  once  more  for  liberty  and  the  father- 
land." 

"  Do  so,  Joe,  and  I  will  follow  your  example.  I  will  re- 
turn to  the  Passeyr  valley  ;  you  shall  all  hear  from  me  be- 
fore long,  and  then  my  voice  shall  resound  throughout  the 
Tyrol.  God  will  make  it  strong  enough  to  penetrate  to  every 
ear,  and  fill  every  heart  with  enthusiastic  devotion  to  the 
country  and  the  emperor.  Farewell,  then,  Joseph  !  The 
Tyrol  and  I  have  recovered  you,  and  my  heart  thanks  God 
fervently  for  it.  Farewell,  you  shall  hear  from  me  before 
long  ! " 

He  nodded  once  more  kindly  to  Joseph  Speckbacher  and 
galloped  down  the  valley,  while  Speckbacher  trotted  up  the 
mountain-path . 

Andreas  Hofer  rode  all  day  long  through  the  country.     He 

*  Andreas  Hofer's  own  words. — Bee  Mayr's  "  Joseph  Speckbacher,"  p.  146. 

n 


330  ANDREAS   UOFER. 

saw  tlie  people  everywhere  in  commotion  and  uproar  ;  they 
greeted  him  with  jubilant  cheers,  and  the  men  swore  every- 
where that  they  would  not  allow  the  enemy  to  re-enter  the 
country  without  resistance  ;  that  they  did  not  believe  iu  the 
pacific  assurances  of  the  proclamations  with  which  the  Bava- 
rians had  flooded  the  country  ;  that  they  were  satisfied,  on  the 
contrary,  that  the  enemy  would  revenge  himself  as  cruelly  as 
he  had  done  after  his  return  in  May  ;  and  that  they  were, 
therefore,  firmly  resolved  to  fight  and  expel  the  enemy  once 
more. 

"Get  your  rifles  and  ammunition,  then,  and  prepare  for 
the  struggle,"  said  Andreas  Hofer  everywhere  to  the  men  who 
were  so  full  of  ardor.  "  You  shall  hear  from  me  soon,  and 
learn  what  God  wants  us  to  do." 

Andreas  Hofer  did  not  rest  even  at  night.  The  great  task 
which  was  imposed  upon  him  urged  him  on  incessantly.  He 
therefore  profited  hy  the  clear  mooalight  to  ride  across  the 
Janfen,  and  at  daybreak  his  horse  neighed  joyously  and 
stopped  at  the  bank  of  the  foaming  Passeyr,  at  no  great  dis- 
tance from  the  white  house  of  the  Sandwirth,  the  home  which 
contained  his  greatest  treasures  on  earth,  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren. 

But  Andreas  Hofer  did  not  intend  to  return  to  them  now  ; 
he  did  not  want  to  have  his  heart  softened  hy  the  sight  of  his 
wife,  who  would  certainly  weep  and  lament  on  learning  of  his 
resolve  to  renew  the  war  against  the  Bavarians  and  French. 
And  for  the  same  reason  he  wished  to  avoid  meeting  his  chil- 
dren, whose  dear  faces  might  remind  him  that  he  was  about 
to  endanger  the  life  of  their  father,  and  that  their  bright  eyes 
might  soon  fill  with  tears  of  bitter  grief.  He  would  speak  only 
to  God,  and  solitude  was  to  be  his  sole  adviser.  Andreas 
Hofer  greeted  his  house  and  its  beloved  inmates  with  a  long, 
tearful  look  ;  he  then  dried  his  eyes  and  alighted.  The  horse 
neighed  joyously  and  sped  merrily  down  the  hill  toward  his 
stable.  But  Andreas  Hofer  took  a  by-path  and  ascended  the 
mountain  through  the  forest  and  shrubbery  to  the  Kellerlahn, 
a  cave  known  only  to  him  and  some  of  his  intimate  friends, 
where  his  faithful  servant  had  prepared  him  a  couch,  and 
kept  always  in  readiness  for  him,  in  a  secret  cupboard  fixed  in 


THE   CAPUCHIN'S  OATH.  331 

the  rock,  wine  and  food,  some  prayer-books,  and  writing-ma- 
terials. 

In  this  cave  Andreas  Hofer  intended  to  pass  a  few  days  in 
prayer  and  solitude. 


CHAPTER 
THE  CAPUCHIN'S  OATH. 

A  GREAT  festival  was  to  be  celebrated  at  Brixen  to-day.  It 
was  the  2d  of  August,  the  day  of  St.  Cassian,  aud  not  only 
were  the  bones  of  this  saint,  which  reposed  in  the  cathedral 
adorned  with  two  splendid  towers,  to  be  exhibited,  as  they 
were  every  year,  to  the  devout  pilgrims,  but  the  pious  bishop 
had  resolved  that  these  sacred  relics  should  be  carried  in  sol- 
emn procession  through  the  whole  city,  that  all  might  have 
an  opportunity  to  see  the  saint's  remains  and  implore  the  as- 
sistance of  God  in  the  sore  distress  which  had  befallen  the 
Tyrol  again.  Since  early  morning,  therefore,  the  peasantry 
had  been  nocking  from  all  sides  toward  the  gates  of  Brixen  ; 
women  and  children,  young  and  old  men,  came  from  all  parts 
of  the  country  to  take  part  in  the  solemn  procession  and  the 
devout  prayers  for  the  welfare  of  the  country. 

Among  those  who  were  wandering  along  the  road  to  Brixen, 
was  a  monk  of  strikingly  bold  and  martial  appearance.  His 
tall,  broad-shouldered  form  was  remarkable  for  its  military 
bearing  ;  his  long,  well-kept  red  whiskers  and  mustache  did 
not  correspond  to  the  tonsure  on  his  head,  which  was  covered 
with  thin  reddish  ringlets  ;  and  in  striking  contrast  with  it 
were  likewise  the  broad  red  scar  on  his  healthy  sunburnt 
countenance,  and  the  bright,  defiant  glance  of  his  eyes,  which 
indicated  boldness  and  intrepidity  rather  than  piety  and  hu- 
mility. He  had  tucked  up  his  brown  robe,  and  thus  exhibited 
his  stout  legs,  which  seemed  to  mock  the  soft  sandals  encasing 
his  broad,  powerful  feet.  In  his  hand  he  held  a  long  brown 
staff,  terminating  at  its  upper  end  in  a  carved  image  of  St. 
Francis  ;  and  the  Capuchin  did  not  carry  this  staff  in  order 
to  lean  upon  it,  but  he  brandished  it  in  the  air  like  a  sword, 


332  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

or  held  it  up  triumphantly  as  though  it  were  a  victorious 
banner. 

But  however  strange  and  unusual  the  Capuchin's  appear- 
ance might  be,  no  one  laughed  at  him,  but  he  was  greeted 
everywhere  with  demonstrations  of  love  and  reverence  ;  and 
when  he  passed  some  slow  wanderers  with  his  rapid  step,  they 
looked  after  him  with  joyful  surprise,  and  said  to  each  other, 
"  Look  at  old  Red-beard,  look  at  brave  Father  Haspinger  !  He 
has  fought  often  enough  for  the  fatherland.  Now  he  is  going 
to  pray  for  the  Tyrol." 

'*  Pray,  and  fight  again,  if  need  be,"  said  the  friar,  turning 
to  the  speakers. 

"  You  think,  then,  reverend  father,  that  there  will  be  war 
again  ? "  asked  many  voices  ;  and  dense  groups  surrounded 
the  friar,  and  asked  him  anxiously  if  he  advised  them  to  allow 
the  enemy  to  re-enter  the  country ;  if  it  would  not  be  better  to 
drive  him  back  forcibly,  or  if  he  thought  it  would  be  preferable 
for  them  to  keep  quiet  and  submit  to  stern  necessity  ? 

"  I  think  there  is  a  time  for  every  thing — for  keeping  quiet 
as  well  as  for  fighting,  for  praying  as  well  as  for  politics," 
said  Father  Haspinger,  shrugging  his  shoulders.  "If  you 
wish  to  pray  and  confess  your  sins,  come  to  me.  I  am  ready 
to  teach  you  how  to  pray,  and  exhort  you  with  true  earnest- 
ness. But  if  you  want  to  fight  and  expel  the  enemy  from  the 
country,  why  do  you  not  apply  to  your  commanders,  and  con- 
sult, above  all,  the  brave  and  pious  Andreas  Hofer  ? " 

"  We  cannot  find  him  anywhere,"  shouted  several  voices. 
"  He  is  not  at  home,  and  even  his  wife  does  not  know  where 
he  has  concealed  himself." 

"  Do  you,  impious  wretches,  think  that  the  most  pious  man 
in  the  whole  Tyrol,  Andreas  Hofer,  has  concealed  himself  be- 
cause he  is  afraid  of  the  Bavarians  who  are  re-entering  the 
country  ? "  asked  the  friar,  in  a  thundering  voice. 

"  No,  your  reverence,  we  do  not.  We  know  well  that  An- 
dreas Hofer  will  not  act  like  Ashbacher,  Sieberer,  Teimer, 
Eisenstecken,  and  Speckbacher,  and  abandon  us  in  our  sore 
distress." 

u  He  who  does  not  extricate  himself  from  his  sore  distress 
will  not  be  saved  by  others,"  cried  the  friar,  indignantly. 


THE  CAPUCHIN'S  OATH.  33J> 

"  Do  you  not  know  the  eleventh  commandment  you  white- 
livered  cowards,  who  think  you  are  lost  when  there  is  no 
leader  to  put  himself  at  your  head  ?  Do  you  not  know  the 
eleventh  commandment,  saying  that  he  who  trusts  in  God 
and  fights  well  will  overpower  his  enemies  ?  But  you  will 
never  overpower  your  enemies  ;  you  do  not  trust  in  God,  and 
hence  you  can  not  fight  well." 

"  But  we  will  fight  well,  your  reverence,"  replied  the  men, 
with  bold,  defiant  glances  ;  "  only  our  leaders  do  not  stand  by 
us.  Every  one  cannot  fight  alone  and  at  random,  but  there 
must  be  some  one  at  the  lead  to  lead  the  whole  movement. 
Since  Andreas  Hofer  cannot  be  found,  pray  put  yourself  at 
our  head,  your  reverence,  and  become  our  leader  !  " 

"  That  request  is  not  so  stupid,"  said  the  Capuchin,  smiling, 
and  stroking  his  red  beard.  "  You  know  very  well  that  old 
Red-beard  does  not  stay  at  home  when  an  effort  is  to  be  made 
to  save  the  fatherland,  and  perhaps  I  may  soon  be  able  to  ac- 
cept your  offer  and  call  upon  you  to  defend  the  Tyrol." 

u  Do  so,  do  call  upon  us,"  shouted  the  men  enthusiastically. 
"  We  will  not  permit  the  French  and  Bavarians  to  murder 
our  people  and  burn  our  houses  as  they  did  last  May  ;  we  will 
fight  rather  until  we  have  driven  them  from  the  country  or 
perished  to  a  man  ! " 

"  These  are  brave  and  pious  sentiments,"  said  Father  Has- 
pinger,  his  eyes  flashing  for  joy  ;  "  and  we  will  speak  further 
about  them.  Come  up  to  the  church  of  Latzfons  to-morrow, 
and  hear  me  preach  ;  and  after  the  sermon  we  will  confer  as 
to  the  state  of  the  country.  But  now  keep  quiet,  for  you  see 
we  are  at  the  gate  of  Brixen  ;  turn  your  souls,  therefore,  to 
God,  and  pray  St.  Cassian  to  have  mercy  upon  you,  and  inter- 
cede for  you  with  God  and  the  Redeemer." 

And  Father  Haspinger's  face  became  suddenly  very  grave 
and  devout ;  he  lifted  the  rosary  hanging  at  his  belt,  and, 
while  entering  the  city  by  the  gate,  he  commenced  praying  a 
Pater-noster  in  an  undertone. 

The  city  meanwhile  was  already  in  great  commotion.  The 
bells  had  begun  to  ring  their  solemn  peals,  and  all  devout 
worshippers,  consisting  on  this  occasion  of  the  whole  popula- 
tion of  the  citv,  were  flocking  to  the  cathedral.  All  at  onoe 


334  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

the  doors  of  the  cathedral  were  thrown  open,  and  under  a 
gold  embroidered  baldachin  borne  by  four  priests  appeared 
the  pious  bishop,  carrying  in  his  uplifted  right  hand  the  casket 
containing  the  bones  of  Saint  Cassia  a.  Behind  the  bishop 
came  the  priests  bearing  wax -lights,  and  singing  soul-stirring 
hymns.  Next  followed  the  long  line  of  acolytes  with  smok- 
ing censers  ;  and  pious  worshippers,  carrying  torches,  and  re- 
peating the  hymns  intoned  by  the  priests,  closed  the  pro- 
cession. This  procession  gained  strength  at  every  step  as  it 
advanced,  and  soon  it  had  been  joined  by  the  whole  popula- 
tion of  the  city  and  the  hundreds  of  pious  pilgrims  who  had 
flocked  to  Brixen  to  take  part  in  the  holy  festival. 

Haspinger,  the  Capuchin  friar,  was  likewise  in  the  proces- 
sion ;  he  walked  in  the  midst  of  the  brave  peasants  with  whom 
he  had  conversed,  singing  with  head  erect  and  in  a  tone  of  sol- 
emn  earnestness  the  hymns  -with  which  the  holy  relics  were 
being  invoked.  Only  it  seemed  to  the  peasants  who  heard  his 
powerful  voice  as  though  he  somewhat  changed  the  passage 
imploring  Saint  Cassian  to  grant  the  Tyrolese  peace,  protec- 
tion, and  tranquillity,  and  prayed  for  the  very  reverse.  The 
passage  was  as  follows  :  *'  Have  mercy  upon  our  weakness,  and 
grant  us  peace  and  tranquillity."  But  Father  Haspinger, 
brandishing  his  staff  with  the  image  of  Saint  Francis,  sang  in 
a  tone  of  fervent  piety  :  "Have  mercy  upon  our  valor,  and 
grant  us  war  ! M  To  those  who  looked  at  him  wonderingly  on 
account  of  this  change  of  the  text,  he  nodded  with  a  shrewd 
twinkle  of  his  eyes,  and  murmured  :  "  Come  to-morrow  to  the 
church  of  Latzfons.  We  will  hold  a  council  of  war  there  ! " 

The  procession  had  not  yet  finished  one-half  of  its  route, 
and  had  just  reached  the  market-place  when  a  horseman  gal- 
loped up  the  street  leading  from  the  gate  to  the  market-place. 
It  was  probably  a  belated  worshipper,  who  intended  to  take 
part  in  the  procession.  He  alighted  hurriedly  from  his  horse, 
and  tied  it  to  the  brass  knob  of  a  street-door,  and  then  walked 
close  up  to  the  procession.  However,  he  did  not  join  it,  but 
stood  still  and  contemplated  every  passer-by  -with  prying 
eyes.  Now  he  seemed  to  have  found  him  whom  he  sought, 
for  a  smile  illuminated  his  sunburnt  face,  and  he  advanced 
directly  toward  Father  Haspinger,  who  was  singing  again  : 


THE  CAPUCHIN'S  OATH.  335 

"  Have  mercy  upon  our  valor,  and  grant  us  war  1 "  But  on 
perceiving  the  young  lad  who  was  approaching  him,  he 
paused,  and  a  bright  gleam  of  joy  overspread  his  features. 

''It  is  Andreas  Hofer's  servant,  Anthony  Wild,''  mur- 
mured Father  Haspinger,  joyfully,  holding  out  his  hand  to 
the  lad.  ''  Say,  Tony,  do  you  come  to  bring  me  a  message 
from  brother  Andreas  ? " 

"  I  do,  reverend  sir.  The  Sandwirth  sends  me  to  you,  and 
as  I  did  not  meet  you  at  your  convent  of  Seeben  near  Klausen, 
I  followed  you  to  Brixen  ;  for  my  master  instructed  me  to 
deliver  my  message  as  quickly  as  possible  into  your  hands  and 
return  with  your  answer." 

"  What  message  do  you  bring  me,  Tony  ?  " 

"This  letter,  reverend  sir." 

The  friar  took  it  and  put  it  quickly  into  his  belt.  "  Where 
is  brother  Andreas  ? ''  he  asked. 

"  In  the  cave  which  is  known  only  to  him,  to  you,  and  to 
myself,''  whispered  Anthony  Wild,  into  the  friar's  ear.  "  He 
awaits  your  reply  there,  reverend  sir." 

"  And  you  shall  have  it  this  very  day,  Tony.  Now,  how- 
ever, we  will  not  forget  our  divine  service,  but  worship  God 
with  sincere  piety.  Take  the  place  behind  me  in  the  proces- 
sion ;  and  when  we  return  to  the  cathedral,  follow  me  where- 
ever  I  may  go." 

And  the  friar  commenced  singing  again ;  his  hand,  how- 
ever, no  longer  held  the  rosary,  but  he  put  it  firmly  on  the 
letter  which  was  concealed  in  his  belt,  and  whose  contents 
engrossed  his  thoughts. 

At  length  the  procession  had  returned  to  the  portals  of  the 
cathedral.  Father  Haspinger  signed  to  the  Sandwirth 's  serv- 
ant, who  was  walking  behind  him.  and  instead  of  accompany- 
ing the  other  worshippers  into  the  church,  he  walked  along 
the  procession  until  he  reached  a  tall,  slender  young  man, 
with  whom  he  had  already  exchanged  many  a  glance. 

"  Martin  Schenk,"  said  the  friar  to  him,  '*  will  you  go 
home  now  ? " 

"  I  will,  and  I  request  you,  reverend  sir,  to  accompany  me," 
said  the  young  man,  hastily.  "  I  believe  you  will  find  a  num- 
ber of  friends  at  my  house.  Peter  Kemnater,  the  innkeeper  of 


336  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

Schabs,  and  Peter  Mayer,  the  innkeeper  of  Mahr,  will  be  there. 
I  invited  them,  and  had  I  known  that  you  would  be  here,  I 
should  have  invited  you  too." 

"  You  see  that  I  come  without  being  invited,  for  I  think  the 
fatherland  has  invited  us  all ;  and  I  believe  we  will  not  par- 
take of  an  epicurean  breakfast  at  your  tavern  to-day,  but  con- 
fer as  to  the  terrible  calamities  of  our  country.  We  are  the 
cooks  that  will  prepare  a  very  spicy  and  unhealthy  breakfast 
for  the  French  and  Bavarians,  and  I  believe  I  am  the  bearer 
of  some  salt  and  pepper  from  Andreas  Hofer  for  this  purpose. 
See,  Martin  Schenck,  in  my  belt  here,  by  the  side  of  the  rosary, 
is  a  letter  from  our  dear  brother  Andreas  Hofer." 

"And  what  does  he  write  to  you  ?  I  hope  he  does  not 
want  us  to  keep  quiet  and  permit  the  enemy  to  re-enter  the 
country,  as  all  prudent  and  cautious  people  advise  us  to  do  ? " 

"  Hush,  hush,  Martin  !  do  not  insult  our  commander-in- 
chief  by  such  a  supposition.  I  have  not  read  the  letter  yet, 
but  I  believe  I  know  its  contents,  and  could  tell  you  before- 
hand every  word  that  the  good  and  faithful  Andreas  has 
written  to  us.  Ah,  here  is  your  tavern,  and  let  me  ask  a  favor 
of  you  now.  The  lad  who  is  following  us  is  Andreas  Hofer's 
faithful  servant,  Anthony  Wild,  who  brought  me  the  letter 
from  his  master,  and  who  must  wait  for  my  answer.  Give 
him  a  place  where  he  may  rest,  and  a  good  breakfast,  for  he 
must  set  out  for  home  this  very  day." 

"Come  in,  Anthony  Wild  ;  you  are  welcome,"  said  the 
young  innkeeper,  shaking  hands  with  Hofer's  servant. 

"  Thank  you,  but  I  must  first  fetch  my  horse,  which  I  tied 
to  a  pole  somewhere  down  the  street.  I  rode  very  fast,  and 
must  first  attend  to  the  horse  ;  afterward  I  will  request  you  to 
let  me  have  some  breakfast." 

And  Hofer's  servant  hastened  down  the  street.  The  inn 
keeper  and  the  friar  entered  the  house  and  stepped  into  the 
large  bar-room.  Two  men  came  to  meet  them  there. 

One  of  them,  a  man  about  forty-five  years  old,  dressed  in 
the  simple  costume  of  the  Tyrolese,  and  of  a  tall,  powerful 
form,  was  Peter  Mayer,  known  throughout  the  Tyrol  as  one 
of  the  most  ardent  and  faithful  patriots,  and  a  man  of  extraor- 
dinary intrepidity,  firmness,  and  energy. 


THE  CAPUCHIN'S  OATH.  337 

The  other,  a  young  man  of  scarcely  twenty-two,  slender  yet 
well  built,  and  far-famed  for  his  fine  appearance,  boldness,  and 
wealth,  was  Peter  Kemnater,  the  most  faithful  and  devoted 
friend  of  the  fine-looking  and  patriotic  young  innkeeper,  Mar- 
tin Schenk. 

The  two  men  shook  hands  with  the  new-comers  and  bowed 
to  them,  but  their  faces  were  gloomy,  and  not  the  faintest 
gleam  of  a  smile  illuminated  them. 

"  Have  you  come  hither,  Father  Joachim  Haspinger,  only 
to  join  in  the  peace-prayers  ? "  asked  Peter  Mayer  in  his 
laconic  style,  fixing  his  dark,  piercing  eyes  on  the  friar's  face. 

''No,  Peter  Mayer,"  said  the  Capuchin,  gravely  ;  "I  have 
come  hither  because  I  wanted  to  see  you  three,  and  because  I 
have  to  say  many  things  to  you.  But  previously  let  me  read 
what  our  pious  and  patriotic  brother  Andreas  Hofer  has  writ- 
ten to  me." 

"  You  have  a  letter  from  Andreas  Hofer  ! "  exclaimed  Mayer 
and  Kemnater,  joyfully. 

"Here  it  is,"  said  the  friar,  drawing  it  from  his  belt. 
"  Now  give  me  a  moment's  time  to  read  the  letter,  and  then 
we  will  confer  upon  the  matter  that  brought  us  here." 

He  stepped  to  the  window  and  unfolded  the  letter.  While 
he  was  reading  it,  the  three  men  looked  at  him  with  rapt  sus- 
pense, seeking  to  read  in  his  features  the  impression  produced 
by  Andreas  Hofer's  words  on  the  heart  of  the  brave  Capuchin. 
Indeed,  the  friar's  features  brightened  more  and  more,  his 
forehead  and  face  colored,  and  a  smile  illuminated  his  hard 
features. 

"Listen,  men,"  he  exclaimed  triumphantly,  waving  the 
paper  as  though  it  were  a  flag  ;  "  listen  to  what  Andreas  writes 
to  me  ! "  And  the  friar  read  in  a  clarion  voice  : 

"  Dear  brother  Eed-beard  !  Beloved  Father  Joachim  Has- 
pinger :  You  know,  brother,  that  all  has  been  in  vain ;  the 
Austrians  are  evacuating  the  country,  and  th«  emperor,  or 
rather  not  the  emperor,  but  his  ministers  and  secretaries,  stipu- 
lated in  the  armistice  concluded  with  Bonaparte,  that  the 
French  and  Bavarians  should  re-enter  the  Tyrol  and  recom- 
mence the  infamous  old  system.  But  I  think,  even  though 
the  emperor  has  abandoned  us,  God  Almighty  will  not  do  so  ; 


338  ANDREAS  HOFER 

and  even  though  the  Austrian  soldiers  are  crossing  our  fron- 
tiers, our  mountains  and  glaciers  remain  to  us  ;  God  placed 
them  there  to  protect  our  frontiers,  and  He  gave  us  strong 
arms  and  good  rifles  and  keen  eyes  to  discern  the  enemy  and 
hit  him.  We  are  the  inhabitants  of  the  Tyrol,  and  the  Aus- 
trian soldiers  are  not,  hence  it  is  incumbent  on  us  to  protect 
our  frontiers,  and  prevent  the  enemy  from  invading  our  terri- 
tory. If  you  are  of  my  opinion,  gather  about  you  as  many 
brave  sharpshooters  as  you  can,  call  out  the  Landsturm  where 
it  is  possible,  tell  the  other  commanders  to  do  the  same,  and 
advance,  if  possible,  at  once  toward  the  Brenner,  where  I  hope 
you  will  meet  me  or  hear  further  news  from  me.  Joseph 
Speckbacher  did  not  leave  the  country  either  ;  he  is  enlisting 
sharpshooters  and  calling  out  the  Landsturm  in  his  district. 
It  is  the  Lord's  will  that  the  Tyrol  be  henceforth  protected 
only  by  the  Tyrolese.  Bear  this  in  mind,  and  go  to  work. — 
Your  faithful  Andreas  Hofer,  at  present  not  knowing  where 
he  is."* 

*'  Well,"  asked  the  friar,  exultingly,  "  do  you  think  that 
Andreas  Hofer  is  right,  and  that  we  ought  not  to  allow  the 
enemy  to  re-enter  the  country  ? " 

"  I  think  he  is,"  said  Peter  Eemnater,  joyously.  "I  think 
it  will  be  glorious  for  us  to  expel  the  French  and  Bavarians 
once  more  from  our  frontiers." 

u  Or,  if  they  have  already  crossed  them,  drive  them  igno- 
miniously  from  the  country,"  added  Peter  Mayer. 

"I  have  passed,  during  the  last  few  days,  through  the 
whole  of  Puster  valley,"  said  Martin  Schenk.  "Everywhere 
I  found  the  men  determined  to  die,  rifle  in  hand,  on  the  field 
of  battle,  rather  than  stay  peaceably  at  home  and  bend  their 
necks  before  the  enemy.  'It  is  a  misfortune,'  said  the  men, 
'  that  the  Austrians  are  abandoning  us  at  this  critical  juncture  ; 
but  it  would  be  a  greater  misfortune  still  for  us  to  abandon 
ourselves  and  consent  to  surrender  at  discretion/" 

"  And  I  say  it  is  no  misfortune  at  all  that  the  Austrians 
have  left  us,"  cried  the  Capuchin,  vehemently.  "The  cause 
of  the  fatherland  has  not  suffered  much  by  the  retreat  of  the 

*  Andreas  Hofer  signed  all  his  letters  and  orders  in  this  strange  manner 
while  he  was  concealed  in  his  cave. 


THE  CAPUCHIN'S  OATH.  339 

Austrians.  Who  assisted  us  at  the  battle  of  Mount  Isel? 
Who  helped  us  to  drive  the  enemy  twice  from  the  country  ? 
Not  an  Austrian  did  !  We  accomplished  all  that  was  great 
and  glorious  in  the  short  and  decisive  struggle.  Let  us  not 
complain,  then,  that  no  one  stands  by  us  now,  and  that  we 
know  that  no  one  will  help  us  but  God  and  we  ourselves. 
But  we  must  not  plunge  blindly  and  furiously  into  the  strug- 
gle ;  on  the  contrary,  we  must  consider  whether  we  are  able 
to  defeat  the  enemy.  The  French  and  Bavarians  are  sending 
large  forces  on  all  sides  to  the  poor  Tyrol.  I  cannot  conceal 
from  you  that  the  enterprise  which  we  are  going  to  undertake, 
and  to  which  Andreas  Hofer  invites  us,  is  a  dangerous  one. 
Let  me  tell  you  that  that  miserable  assassin  and  ruffian  Lefebre, 
whom  they  call  the  Duke  of  Dantsic,  is  approaching  from  the 
north  with  twenty-five  thousand  men,  and  is  already  close  to 
Innspruck.  General  Deroi,  too,  is  coming  ;  he  intends  to 
march  through  the  whole  Vintschgau,  and  force  his  way  over 
the  Gerlos  Mountains  to  the  district  of  Innspruck.  Rusca's 
wild  legions  are  already  near  Lienz  :  General  Pery  is  moving 
up  from  the  south  with  his  Italian  troops ;  and  the  exasperated 
Bavarians,  under  Generals  Wreden  and  Arco,  are  already  at 
Salzburg.  In  short,  more  than  fifty  thousand  men  are  com- 
ing up  from  all  sides  to  trample  the  poor  Tyrol  under  foot. 
They  are  veteran  soldiers :  they  have  got  artillery  and  better 
arms  than  we,  and  are  superior  to  us  in  numbers,  equipments, 
and  strength.  Consider,  therefore,  whether  you  are  willing 
to  undertake  the  heavy  task  nevertheless ;  consider  that  you 
risk  your  property,  your  blood,  and  your  lives,  and  that,  if  you 
should  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  fall  into  the  enemy's  hands,  he 
would  perhaps  punish  you  as  criminals  and  rebels.  It  is  true, 
you  are  ready  to  risk  your  property,  your  blood,  and  your 
lives,  for  the  fatherland  and  the  liberty  of  the  Tyrol ;  but  then 
you  have  also  duties  to  your  families,  your  parents,  your 
brides ;  you  have  a  duty  to  yourselves— that  of  not  endanger- 
ing vour  lives  recklessly.  It  is  true,  even  though  the  enemy 
should  punish  you  as  rebels,  you  would  die  the  beautiful  death 
of  martyrs  for  your  fatherland,  and  the  halo  of  your  virtue 
and  love  of  country  will  immortalize  your  names;  but  you 
must  consider,  also,  whether  your  death  will  be  useful  to  the 


34:0  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

country,  and  whether  you  will  not  shed  your  blood  in  vain. 
Ask  your  hearts,  my  friends,  whether  they  will  be  courageous 
and  strong  enough  to  brave  cheerfully  whatever  reverses  and 
calamities  may  befall  us,  and  whether  they  really  will  risk 
death,  imprisonment,  and  the  scaffold,  without  flinching 
and  trembling  ?  That  is  what  I  wished  to  say  to  you 
before  concerting  measures  with  you  and  sending  an  an- 
swer to  Andreas  Hofer.  Consider  it  all,  my  friends,  and  then 
speak." 

"  We  are  to  ask  our  hearts  if  they  will  not  flinch  and  trem- 
ble ? "  said  Peter  Mayer,  almost  contemptuously.  "  When  the 
enemy  returned  to  the  Tyrol  last  May,  he  burned  down  eight 
houses  which  belonged  to  me,  and  for  some  time  I  did  not 
know  but  that  my  wife  and  children  had  perished  in  the 
conflagration.  Did  you  see  me  tremble — did  you  hear  me 
complain  at  that  time  ?  Did  I  not  stand  up  cheerfully  in  the 
battle  on  Mount  Tsel,  without  weeping  or  murmuring,  and 
bearing  in  mind  only  that  I  was  fighting  for  liberty,  the 
fatherland,  and  the  emperor  ?  It  was  not  until  we  had  gained 
the  victory,  and  obtained  our  freedom,  that  I  went  home  to 
mourn  and  weep  on  the  smoking  ruins  of  my  houses.  But  I 
found  my  wife  and  my  children  alive  and  well  ;  a  friend  had 
concealed  them  and  taken  care  of  them  ;  and  after  thanking 
God  for  our  victory,  I  thanked  Him  for  preserving  my  wife 
and  children  ;  and  only  now,  when  we  were  happy  and  free, 
did  I  shed  tears.  But  since  the  enemy  is  re-entering  the 
country,  and  fresh  misfortunes  are  to  befall  us,  my  tears  are 
dried  again  ;  my  heart  is  full  of  courage  and  constancy  ;  and 
I  believe  we  must  risk  all,  because  otherwise  every  thing  that 
we  have  done  hitherto  will  be  in  vain.  I  love  my  wife  dearly ; 
but,  if  she  came  now  to  dissuade  me  from  taking  part  in  the 
struggle,  and  if  I  felt  that  my  heart  was  giving  way  to  her 
persuasion,  I  would  strangle  her  with  my  own  hands,  lest  she 
should  prevent  me  from  serving  the  great  cause  of  the  father- 
land. It  is  true,  our  task  is  difficult,  but  it  is  not  impossible ; 
and  that  which  is  not  impossible  should  be  tried  for  the  father- 
land !  I  have  given  you  my  opinion ;  it  is  your  turn  now,  my 
young  friends.  Peter  Kemnater,  speak !  Tell  Father  Red- 
beard  whether  your  heart  is  trembling  and  flinching,  and 


THE  CAPUCHIN'S  OATH.  341 

whether  you  think  we  had  better  keep  quiet,  because  the  ene- 
my is  so  powerful  and  superior  to  us." 

"  I  have  an  affianced  bride  of  whom  I  am  very  fond,"  said 
Peter  Kemnater,  with  flushed  cheeks  and  flashing  eyes;  "a 
girl  whom  I  love  better  than  my  parents,  than  anything  in 
the  world,  and  whom  I  intended  to  marry  a  fortnight  hence; 
but  I  swear  to  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  that  my  wedding 
shall  not  take  place  until  the  Tyrol  is  free  again,  and  we  have 
expelled  the  enemy  once  more  from  the  country.  And  if  my 
bride  should  be  angry  at  this,  and  demand  that  I  should  think 
more  of  her  than  of  the  fatherland,  and  prefer  living  for  her 
alone  to  dying  perhaps  for  the  fatherland,  I  should  break  with 
her,  and  never  look  at  her  again,  never  speak  another  word 
with  her.  I  have  many  houses  and  lands;  but  even  though 
I  knew  that  my  fields  and  meadows  were  to  be  devastated, 
and  my  houses  burned  down,  like  those  of  Peter  Mayer,  I 
should  say,  nevertheless,  we  will  fight  for  the  fatherland! 
We  will  defeat  the  enemy,  even  though  we  should  all  become 
beggars,  and  even  though  I  knew  that  I  should  die  before  see- 
ing my  affianced  bride  again,  and  that  she  would  curse  me  in 
my  grave.  That  is  what  I  have  got  to  say.  Now  you  may 
speak,  Martin  Schenk;  tell  the  father  whether  your  heart  is 
flinching  and  trembling. " 

"  Yes,  it  is,"  cried  Martin  Schenk,  "  but  only  when  I  think 
the  men  of  the  Tyrol  could  be  so  cowardly  and  mean-spirited 
as  to  keep  quiet  and  submit  to  their  oppressors,  because  the 
latter  are  powerful  and  superior  to  us  in  numbers.  I  have 
a  young  wife  whom  I  married  only  a  year  ago,  and  who  gave 
birth  to  a  little  boy  a  week  since,  and  I  assure  you  that  I  love 
her  and  her  child  with  all  my  heart.  But  if  I  knew  that  their 
death  would  be  useful  to  the  fatherland,  and  would  contribute 
to  its  salvation,  I  would  shoot  them  with  my  own  rifle,  and 
should  not  weep  on  seeing  their  corpses  at  my  feet;  but  I 
should  rejoice  and  exclaim,  '  I  did  it  for  the  sake  of  the  father- 
land ;  I  sacrificed  my  most  precious  treasures  for  tbe  beloved 
Tyrol.'  Even  though  the  enemy  is  very  strong  and  numer- 
ous, even  though  the  emperor  has  abandoned  us,  God  stands 
by  us.  The  mountains  stand  firm  yet :  they  are  our  fortresses, 
and  we  will  fight  in  them  until  we  are  all  dead,  or  until  w« 


342  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

have  defeated  the  enemy,  and  delivered  the  Tyrol  a  third  time. 
Now  you  know  my  opinion,  Father  Joachim  Haspinger." 

The  Capuchin  made  no  reply.  He  stood  with  hands 
clasped  in  prayer  and  eyes  lifted  to  heaven,  and  two  large 
tears  rolled  down  his  bronzed  cheeks  into  his  red  beard. 

"  Great  God  in  heaven,"  he  murmured  in  a  voice  tremu- 
lous with  emotion,  kl  I  thank  Thee  for  letting  me  see  this  hour, 
and  hear  the  soul-stirring  words  of  these  patriotic  men.  What 
can  I  say  now,  what  have  I  to  sacrifice  to  the  fatherland  ?  I 
have  no  wife,  no  children,  no  property ;  I  am  hut  a  poor  Capu- 
chin! I  have  nothing  but  my  hlood  and  my  life.  But  I  will 
give  it  to  the  country,  even  though  the  hishop  and  the  abbot 
should  excommunicate  me  for  it  and  condemn  my  soul  to 
burn  in  everlasting  fire.  It  is  better  that  a  poor  Capuchin's 
soul  should  burn  in  hell  than  that  the  fatherland  should 
groan  with  pain  and  wear  the  brand  of  disgrace  and  slavery 
on  its  forehead.  It  is  better  to  be  a  faithless  son  of  the  bishop 
and  abbot,  than  a  faithless  son  of  the  fatherland.  It  is  better 
to  be  a  bad  Christian  than  a  bad  patriot.  Therefore,  what- 
ever may  happen,  I  shall  share  every  thing  with  you,  danger 
or  victory,  triumph  or  death.  Henceforth  I  am  no  longer  a 
Capuchin,  but  old  Red-beard  Joachim  Haspiuger,  the  de- 
fender of  his  country ;  and  I  swear  that  I  will  110  more  lay 
down  my  head  and  repose  before  we  have  delivered  the  coun- 
try from  the  enemy  and  concluded  an  honorable  peace.  If 
that  is  your  sentiment  also,  swear  here  before  God  that  you 
will  fight  henceforth  for  the  country,  devote  your  whole 
strength  to  it,  and  perish  rather  than  give  up  the  struggle, 
make  peace  with  the  enemy,  and  submit  to  the  Bavarian 
yoke." 

And  the  three  men  lifted  their  hands  and  eyes  to  heaven, 
and  exclaimed  with  one  accord,  in  a  loud  and  solemn  tone  : 
"  We  swear  by  God  Almighty,  and  by  all  that  is  sacred  and 
dear  to  us  on  earth,  that  we  will  fight  henceforth  for  the 
country,  devote  our  whole  strength  to  it,  and  perish  rather 
than  give  up  the  struggle,  make  peace  with  the  enemy,  and 
submit  to  the  Bavarian  yoke  !  " 

"  Benediclus !  benedictus ! "  cried  Father  Haspinger,  laying 
his  hands  on  those  which  the  three  men  had  joined  on  taking 


THE   CAPUCHIN'S  OATH.  34.3 

the  oath.  "  The  Lord  has  heard  and  accepted  your  oath  ;  the 
Lord  will  bless  you,  the  Holy  Virgin  will  protect  you  ! 
Amen  ! " 

''  And  now  let  us  concert  measures  for  the  struggle,  and 
consider  what  we  ought  to  do,'  said  the  friar,  after  a  pause. 
"  In  the  first  place,  we  will  inform  Andreas  Hofer  that  his 
wishes  shall  be  complied  with,  and  that  we  will  call  out  the 
Landsturm  and  all  our  forces.  Let  me  write  to  him,  therefore, 
and  then  we  will  hold  a  council  of  war." 

The  council  of  war  lasted  until  midnight ;  and  while  all 
Europe  was  truckling  to  the  ''  invincible  Emperor  Napoleon," 
while  all  Germany  was  lying  humbly  prostrate  at  his  feet,  and 
while  all  the  princes  were  basking  in  the  sunshine  of  his  favor, 
four  poor  men,  neither  learned  nor  even  well  educated,  three 
peasants  and  a  monk,  were  concerting  measures  to  bid  de- 
fiance to  "  Bonaparte,  the  robber  of  crowns,"  and  expel  his 
powerful  armies  from  their  mountains  !  All  Germany  was 
subjugated,  and  had  given  up  all  further  resistance  to  the  all- 
powerful  conqueror  ;  only  the  small  Tyrol  would  not  suffer 
herself  to  be  subjugated  ;  only  the  brave  sons  of  the  German 
mountains  were  still  intent  on  braving  the  tyrant,  and  uphold- 
ing their  liberty  and  independence,  despite  the  formidable 
efforts  he  was  making  to  crush  them. 

Already  on  the  following  morning  the  tocsin  sounded  in 
all  the  valleys  and  on  all  the  heights,  and  called  upon  the  men 
to  fight  for  the  fatherland.  After  midnight  the  three  brave 
men  had  left  Brixen  ;  each  had  set  out  in  a  different  direction 
to  incite  the  men  to  insurrection,  inform  them  of  Andreas 
Hofer's  order,  and  implore  them  in  the  name  of  the  fatherland 
to  take  up  their  rifles  again  and  risk  once  more  their  lives  for 
the  deliverance  of  the  Tyrol. 

Father  Haspinger  had  walked  all  night  to  Latzfons,  and 
on  the  following  morning  he  preached  to  the  people  at  the 
church  of  that  place  an  enthusiastic  sermon,  in  which  he 
called  upon  them  to  make  one  more  effort  in  behalf  of  their 
beloved  country,  and  promised  entire  absolution  for  one  year 
to  every  one  who  should  kill  a  dozen  French  soldiers,  and  ab- 
solution for  five  years  to  any  who  should  kill  twice  as  many.* 

*  Mayer's  •'  Speckbacher,"  p.  151. 


344  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

Carried  away  by  the  soul-stirring  words  and  promises  of 
the  Capuchin,  full  of  ardor  to  serve  the  fatherland,  and  de- 
sirous of  obtaining  absolution,  the  men  took  up  arms,  and  even 
a  company  of  women  was  formed  for  the  holy  service  of  the 
fatherland. 

At  night  on  the  same  day  three  hundred  sharpshooters  had 
rallied  around  the  martial  friar,  and  with  them  he  marched 
toward  Unterau,  constantly  receiving  re-enforcements  on  the 
road  ;  for  the  inhabitants  everywhei'e  rose  again  as  one  man, 
and  with  their  redoubted  rifles  on  their  shoulders  descended 
every  lateral  glen  and  ravine,  and  joined  his  command  to  con- 
quer or  die  under  him. 

And  joyful  news  arrived  from  all  sides,  announcing  that 
the  inhabitants  were  rising  throughout  the  Tyrol.  Already 
Peter  Mayer  and  Peter  Kemnater  had  gathered  around  them 
all  the  sharpshooters  of  the  neighboring  towns  and  villages, 
and  their  four  companies  now  united  with  the  friar's  troops. 
News  also  came  from  Andreas  Hofer  :  he  had  emerged  again 
from  the  cave,  and  at  his  call  all  the  sharpshooters  of  the  Pas- 
seyr  valley  had  rallied  around  him,  and  companies  had  flocked 
to  him  from  all  parts  of  the  country  to  fight  again  under  their 
beloved  commander-in-chief.  Andreas  Hofer  had  marched 
with  them  across  the  crest  of  the  precipitous  Janfen,  and  his 
army  gathering  strength  like  a  mountain-torrent  from  every 
tributary  stream  which  crossed  its  course,  soon  embraced  all 
the  able-bodied  men  of  Passeyr,  Meran,  and  Algund. 

The  Tyrolese  had  risen  a  third  time  to  defend  the  inde- 
pendence of  their  country. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  FIRST  BATTLE. 

WHAT  the  four  men  had  sworn  at  the  inn  of  Brixen,  and 
what  Andreas  Hofer  had  agreed  upon  with  his  friend  Speck- 
bacher,  had  succeeded.  The  whole  Tyrol  had  risen  and  was 
eager  for  the  fray.  A  small  army,  commanded  by  Father 


THE  FIRST  BATTLE.  34.5 

Haspinger,  was  encamped  near  Brixen,  and  received  hourly 
fresh  accessions.  Peter  Kemnater  and  Peter  Mayer  were  still 
traversing  the  country,  and  calling  upon  the  peasants  to  repair 
to  Father  Red-beard's  camp  near  Brixen,  and  their  appeals 
were  readily  complied  with.  The  brave  peasa ats  of  Rodeneck, 
Weitenthal,  and  Schoneck,  led  by  their  courageous  pastor, 
George  Schoneck,  came  into  camp  ;  and  so  did  Anthony  Wall- 
ner  with  the  four  hundred  men  who  had  followed  him  from 
the  Puster  valley. 

Father  Haspinger  received  these  brave  men  exultingly, 
and  folded  their  leader,  Anthony  Wallner,  tenderly  to  his 
heart. 

"  You  have  fought  again  like  a  hero,"  he  exclaimed,  pat- 
ting his  cheeks  affectionately  ;  "  the  whole  Tyrol  is  extolling 
your  exploits  at  the  murderous  battle  of  Taxenbach,  and  they 
are  telling  wonderful  stories  about  the  surpassing  heroism  and 
bravery  you  displayed  on  that  occasion." 

"  It  is  true,  we  fought  bravely,"  said  Anthony  Wallner, 
sighing ;  "  but  it  did  not  do  much  good,  for  the  enemy  was 
ten  to  one,  and  we  were  finally  unable  to  check  his  advance. 
But  we  followed  him,  and  will  now  unite  with  you,  reverend 
father,  in  order  to  expel  him  once  more  from  the  country.  I 
believe  there  will  be  another  battle  on  Mount  Isel,  for  the  en- 
emy is  always  intent  on  forcing  his  way  to  Innspruck,  believ- 
ing that  the  whole  Tyrol  is  subjugated  so  soon  as  the  capital 
has  fallen  into  his  hands.  We  must  strive,  therefore,  to  meet 
him  there  once  more  ;  for  you  know  the  old  prophecy,  saying 
that  Mount  Isel  will  be  a  lucky  place  for  the  Tyrolese." 

"  I  do  know  it,"  said  the  friar  ;  u  and  if  it  please  God  we 
will  verify  it.  The  freedom  of  the  Tyrol  is  buried  on  Mount 
Isel  near  Innspruck,  and  we  will  disinter  the  golden  treasure 
there  and  cause  it  to  shed  its  lustre  once  more  on  our  moun- 
tains and  valleys.  You  shall  help  me  to  do  it,  Anthony  Wall- 
ner, you  and  your  famous  sharpshooters  of  Windisch-Matrey. 
But  previously  I  think,  my  friend,  we  shall  have  something 
to  do  here  ;  for  our  scouts  have  returned  with  the  news  that 
the  enemy  is  approaching.  His  column  is  headed  by  Saxon 
and  Bavarian  troops  under  the  French  general,  Royer  ;  his 
forces  are  followed  by  the  main  army  under  the  commander- 
23 


346  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

in-chief,  Marshal  Lefebvre,  or  as  he  proudly  call  himself,  the 
Duke  of  Dantsic.  General  Royer  has  got  already  as  far  as 
Sterzing.  and  if  we  do  not  interfere  the  Saxons  will  soon  reach 
Brixen." 

"  But  we  will  interfere,"  cried  Anthony  Wallner  ;  "  we 
will  not  allow  them  to  advance  to  Brixen,  and  I  will  occupy 
immediately  with  my  sharpshooters  the  mountain-passes  on 
the  route  of  the  enemy.  We  will  receive  the  Duke  of  Dantsic 
with  fireworks  which  will  sadden  his  heart." 

"Do  so,  dear  Anthony,"  exclaimed  Haspinger,  joyfully. 
"  I  myself  will  first  go  to  Brixen  and  teach  the  members  of 
the  municipality  better  manners.  Their  terror  and  anguish 
have  rendered  them  quite  eloquent,  and  they  have  dissuaded 
many  hundred  peasants,  who  were  passing  through  Brixen  to 
join  my  command,  from  so  doing,  and  induced  them  to  return 
to  their  homes.  I  shall  speak  a  serious  word  with  those  gen- 
tlemen, and  teach  them  a  little  patriotism." 

Haspinger  nodded  kindly  to  Anthony  Wallner,  and  calling 
ten  of  his  best  sharpshooters  to  him  repaired  to  the  city  hall 
of  Brixen,  where  the  members  of  the  municipality  were  as- 
sembled. He  made  them  a  furious  speech,  which,  however, 
did  not  impress  the  gentlemen  as  forcibly  as  the  threats  which 
he  added  to  it.  He  swore  that,  if  the  members  of  the  munici- 
pality would  not  have  the  tocsin  sounded  immediately  and 
send  out  mounted  messengers  to  call  out  the  peasants  and 
send  them  to  him,  he  would  cause  every  one  of  them  to  be 
hanged  or  shot  in  the  morning  !  And  this  oath  was  effectual 
enough,  for  the  terrified  gentlemen  knew  full  well  that  Father 
Haspinger  had  the  power  and  the  will  to  fulfil  his  oaths. 
Hence,  the  tocsin  was  sounded,  mounted  messengers  were  sent 
out  in  all  directions,  and  on  the  following  morning  upward 
of  two  thousand  able-bodied  men  arrived  at  Haspinger's 
camp.* 

"  All  right,"  said  the  friar  ;  "  if  Andreas  Hofer  and  Speck- 
bacher  join  us  with  their  forces,  I  believe  we  shall  succeed, 
and  St.  Caf;sian  will  have  understood  our  prayers." 

While  Anthony  Wallner  and  his  sharpshooters  occupied 
the  mountain-gorges  this  side  of  Brixen  on  the  road  to  Mitte- 

*  u  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  110. 


THE  F1KST   BATTLE.  347 

wald,  Joseph  Speckbacher  and  his  men  had  penetrated  far  be- 
yond Mittewald  toward  Sterzing,  and  had  learned  that  the 
Saxons,  under  General  Royer,  were  resting  at  Sterzing  with 
the  intention  of  advancing  in  the  morning  through  the  wild 
valley  of  the  Eisach  toward  Brixen. 

"  Well,  if  the  Saxons  are  resting  we  must  work  in  order  to 
prepare  eternal  repose  for  them,"  said  Joseph  Speckbacher, 
gayly.  "  Now  come,  my  brave  lads,  we  must  take  the  Saxons 
between  two  fires.  They  are  miserable  scoundrels  and  trai- 
tors. Ah,  they  do  not  shrink  from  serving  the  rapacious  con- 
queror Bonaparte,  and  turning  their  arms  against  their  Ger- 
man countrymen,  merely  because  the  French  emperor  orders 
them  to  do  so,  and  because  we  refuse  to  submit  to  the  foreign 
yoke  and  are  determined  to  preserve  our  German  tongue  and 
our  German  rights  !  How  disgraceful  it  is  that  Germans 
should  attack  Germans  at  the  bidding  of  the  foreign  oppress- 
or !  Therefore,  we  will  punish  the  Saxons  and  Bavarians  in 
the  name  of  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin.  We  will  let  them  ad- 
vance down  the  defile,  and  attack  them  only  after  they  are  in 
it.  They  cannot  retrace  their  steps,  for  we  are  behind  them  ; 
nor  can  they  advance  very  far,  for  Father  Red-beard  will  meet 
them  in  front.  Now  come  and  let  us  make  festive  prepara- 
tions, as  it  behooves  those  who  are  expecting  distinguished 
guests.  We  will  erect  a  few  triumphal  arches  to  them,  and 
show  them  how  avalanches  roll  down  our  mountains.  Ah, 
we  will  build  up  for  them  artificial  ruins  which  will  excite 
their  sincere  admiration  t " 

"  Yes,  yes,  we  will ! "  shouted  the  peasants,  who  went  to 
work,  singing  and  laughing.  In  the  first  place,  they  erected 
"  triumphal  arches "  to  the  enemy  ;  that  is  to  say,  they  ob- 
structed the  road  by  raising  a  number  of  abatis,  besmeared 
with  pitch  the  wooden  railing  of  the  bridge  built  across  the 
Eisach  near  the  village  of  Pleis,  loosened  the  planks  of  the 
bridge,  and  began  to  build  "avalanches.''  They  felled  a  con- 
siderable number  of  tall  larches,  tied  ropes  to  both  ends  of 
them,  lowered  them  half-way  down  the  precipitous  side  of  the 
mountain,  and  fastened  the  ropes  above  to  the  strong  branches 
of  trees  firmly  rooted  in  the  soil  of  the  crest.  Then  they 
threw  huge  masses  of  rock  and  heaps  of  rubbish  on  these 


348  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

hanging  scaffolds  ;  and  after  the  "  avalanches  "  had  thus  been 
completed,  they  withdrew  cautiously  and  rapidly  into  the 
mountain-gorges.  Only  Zoppel,  Joseph  Speckbacher's  servant, 
and  an  old  peasant  remained  near  the  "avalanches."  They 
stood  on  both  sides  of  the  ropes,  hatchet  in  hand,  casting  fiery 
glances  into  the  defile  on  the  bank  of  the  Eisach,  and  between 
overhanging  wood-clad  precipices. 

Profound  silence  reigned  all  around  ;  only  from  time  to 
time  a  rustling  noise  was  heard  in  the  shrubbery  ;  the  flash- 
ing barrel  of  a  rifle  was  then  seen,  and  it  seemed  as  though 
the  fleet-footed  chamois  appeared  on  the  heights  above.  But 
they  were  Tyrolese  sharpshooters  who  had  climbed  up  to  the 
wa  tch-towers  of  their  natural  fortresses  to  espy  the  enemy 
and  on  his  appearance  to  welcome  him  with  the  bullets  of 
their  rifles. 

Profound  silence  reigned  all  around,  and  the  two  men  were 
still  standing,  hatchet  in  hand,  by  the  side  of  the  ropes  hold- 
ing the  artificial  avalanches. 

All  at  once  a  loud,  shrill  whistle  resounded  in  front  of  the 
entrance  to  the  defile  ;  it  was  repeated  all  around  the  gloomy 
gorge. 

"  That  is  the  signal  that  the  enemy  has  passed  the  inn  am, 
Sack  and  is  entering  the  defile  of  the  Eisach,"  murmured  Zop- 
pel, examining  once  more  the  edge  of  his  hatchet  with  his 
hand.  Then  he  looked  down  attentively  into  the  depth,  where 
only  a  footpath  meandered  close  along  the  bank  of  the  foam- 
ing Eisach. 

A  few  soldiers  were  now  seen  entering  the  defile  yonder, 
where  the  road  projected  between  two  jutting  rocks  forming 
the  background  of  the  gorge. 

The  form  of  a  Tyrolese  sharpshooter  appeared  at  the  same 
moment  on  the  top  of  the  precipitous  rock.  He  stepped  close 
to  the  edge  of  the  rock,  allowed  the  soldiers,  who  looked 
around  slowly  and  distrustfully,  to  advance  a  few  steps,  and 
then  raised  his  rifle.  He  fired  ;  one  of  the  soldiers  fell  im- 
mediately to  the  ground,  and  the  Tyrolese  sharpshooter  re- 
loaded his  rifle.  He  fired  again,  and  laid  another  soldier  pros- 
trate. 

The  two  reports  had  accelerated  the  march  of  the  enemy. 


THE   FIRST  BATTLE.  349 

The  soldiers  entered  the  defile  with  a  hasty  step  ;  in  order  to 
advance,  they  had  to  remove  the  two  soldiers  who  were  writh- 
ing in  the  agony  of  death  and  obstructing  the  narrow  path, 
and  throw  them  into  the  waters  of  the  Eisach.  which  received 
with  a  wild  roar  the  two  corpses,  the  first  victims  of  the  reopen 
ing  struggle. 

Meanwhile  the  Tyrolese  sharpshooter  on  the  height  above 
had  reloaded  his  rifle  and  shot  another  soldier.  On  seeing 
this,  he  uttered  a  loud  Jodler,  made  a  leap  of  joy,  and  nodded 
laughingly  to  the  enemy,  who  cast  threatening  glances  on 
him.  But  he  did  not  see  that  one  of  the  officers  below  called 
four  soldiers  to  him,  pointed  his  hand  at  the  top  of  the  rock, 
and  gave  them  a  quick  order.  The  four  soldiers  sprang  at 
once  from  the  ranks  and  disappeared  in  the  shrubbery  cover- 
ing the  base  of  the  rock. 

The  sharpshooter  was  reloading  his  rifle,  when  the  shrub- 
bery behind  him  rustled,  and,  on  turning  hastily,  he  saw  one 
of  the  soldiers  rushing  toward  him.  A  cry  of  rage  burst  from 
the  lips  of  the  sharpshooter.  He  then  raised  his  rifle  and 
fired.  The  soldier  fell,  but  at  the  same  moment  one  of  his 
comrades  hastened  from  the  thicket  toward  the  top  of  the 
rock.  Another  cry  burst  from  the  sharpshooter's  lips,  but 
this  time  it  sounded  like  a  death-cry.  He  saw  that  he  was 
lost,  for  already  the  uniforms  of  the  other  two  soldiers  were 
glittering  among  the  trees,  and  the  second  soldier  was  only  a 
few  steps  from  the  edge  of  the  rock  where  the  sharpshooter 
was  standing.  The  Tyrolese  cast  a  last  despairing  glance 
around  him,  as  if  to  take  leave  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of 
the  mountains  and  valleys  of  his  beloved  Tyrol.  Then  he 
threw  down  his  rifle  and  seized  the  soldier  furiously.  His 
arms  encircled  the  body  of  his  enemy  like  iron  clasps,  and  he 
forced  him  with  irresistible  impetuosity  toward  the  edge  of 
the  rock. 

-    "In  God's  name,  then,"  he  shouted  in  a  loud  voice  echoed 
by  the  rocks  all  around;    ••'•In God's  name;  then  ! " 

With  a  last  effort  he  threw  himself  with  the  soldier 
into  the  depth,  and  both  disappeared  in  the  waters  of  the 
Eisach. 

Speckbacher's  servant  the  faithful  Zoppel,  had  seen  and 


350  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

understood  everything ;  and  when  the  two  sank  into  the 
foaming  torrent,  he  wiped  a  tear  from  his  eyes. 

t4  He  died  like  a  brave  son  of  the  Tyrol,"  he  murmured,  "  and 
the  Holy  Virgin  will  assuredly  bid  him  kindly  welcome. 
But  we,  Hisel,  will  avenge  his  death  on  the  accursed  enemy 
below." 

'•  Yes,  we  will,''  cried  the  peasant  grimly  ;  and  he  raised 
his  hatchet  with  a  furious  gesture. 

'•  It  is  not  yet  time,"  said  Zoppel  thoughtfully.  ll  Just  wait 
until  a  larger  body  of  troops  has  entered  the  defile.  See,  Hisel, 
how  splendid  they  look  in  their  gorgeous  uniform,  and  how 
proudly  they  are  marching  on  !  " 

The  Saxons  did  march  on  proudly,  but  not  with  drums 
beating.  They  advanced  in  silence,  filled  with  misgivings  by 
the  profound  stillness  which  surrounded  them  all  at  once, 
listening  attentively  to  every  sound,  and  examining  anxiously 
the  top  of  every  projecting  rock. 

The  head  of  the  serried  column  had  arrived  now  directly 
under  the  hanging  "  avalanche  "  in  the  middle  of  the  gloomy 
defile.  The  silence  was  suddenly  broken  by  a  loud  angry 
voice,  which  seemed  to  resound  in  the  air  like  the  croaking  of 
the  death-angel. 

This  voice  asked,  "  Zoppel,  shall  I  cut  the  rope  now  ? " 

u  Not  yet  !  not  yet  ! "  replied  another  voice  ;  and  the  pre- 
cipitous rocks  all  around  echoed  "  Not  yet !  not  yet ! " 

The  Saxons  gave  a  start  and  looked  up.  Whence  came 
these  voices  ?  What  meant  that  huge  black  mass  suspended 
on  the  precipitous  side  of  the  mountain  right  over  their 
heads? 

Thus  they  asked  each  other  shudderingly  and  stood  still, 
fixing  their  eyes  on  the  black  mass  of  rock  and  rubbish,  which 
filled  their  hearts  with  wonder  and  dismay. 

"  Let  us  retrace  our  steps  !  Let  us  not  penetrate  farther 
into  the  defile,"  murmured  the  soldiers  with  trembling  lips, 
but  in  so  low  a  tone  that  the  officers  marching  by  their  sides 
could  not  hear  them. 

But  the  officers,  too,  were  filled  with  strange  misgivings  ; 
they  ordered  the  soldiers  to  halt,  and  hastened  back  to  General 
Royer  to  report  to  him  the  mysterious  words  which  they  had 


THE   FIRST   BATTLE.  351 

heard,  and  to  ask  him  whether  they  were  to  halt  or  retrace 
their  steps. 

"  Advance  at  the  double-quick  !  "  commanded  the  general, 
sternly. 

"Advance  at  the  double  quick  !''  they  repeated  to  their  sol- 
diers along  the  whole  line  ;  the  latter,  in  obedience  to  this  or- 
der, hurried  on  under  the  black  mass  which  still  hung  threat- 
eningly over  their  heads. 

All  at  once  a  powerful  voice  above  shouted  out :  "  Now, 
Hisel,  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  cut  the  ropes  ! " 
Thereupon  they  heard  the  strokes  of  two  hatchets. 

The  soldiers,  who  were  rushing  forward  in  serried  ranks, 
looked  up  again,  and  indescribable  horror  seized  them.  The 
black  mass  of  rock  and  rubbish  which  had  hitherto  hung  over 
them,  commenced  moving  and  rolling  down  with  a  terrible 
crash.  A  cloud  of  dust  rose  and  filled  the  gloomy  defile  as 
with  the  smoke  of  powder.  At  the  same  time  a  heavy  fire 
burst  forth  on  all  sides,  and  from  amid  the  leafy  screen  the 
deadly  bullets  of  the  sharpshooters  brought  death  with  every 
discharge  into  the  allied  ranks.  A  death-like  silence  then  en- 
sued for  a  moment,  for  out  of  the  depths  rose  the  wails  and 
lamentations  of  the  hundreds  of  soldiers  who  had  been  crushed 
and  mutilated  by  the  "avalanche."  The  Tyrolese,  filled  with 
curiosity  and  compassion,  looked  down  into  the  defile.  The 
smoke  and  dust  had  disappeared,  and  they  could  distinctly 
survey  the  scene  of  horror,  devastation,  and  death,  in  the 
gorge. 

Happy  those  whom  the  falling  "avalanche"  had  hurled 
from  the  narrow  footpath  into  the  foaming  torrent  !  It  is 
true,  death  had  been  in  store  for  them  there,  but  it  had  quickly 
put  an  end  to  their  sufferings.  But  what  was  the  agony  of 
those  who  lay  buried  under  the  fragments  of  the  rocks,  their 
limbs  fearfully  mutilated  !  What  were  the  sufferings  of  the 
hundreds  of  soldiers  lying  on  the  road,  on  this  narrow,  gory 
path,  upon  which  the  "  avalanche  "  had  thundered  down  ! 

It  was  a  horrible  sight ;  even  the  Tyrolese  trembled  on  be- 
holding this  rubbish,  these  fragments,  whence  large  numbers 
of  bloody  corpses  protruded,  and  amidst  which  torn,  mutilated 
limbs  were  moving,  while  here  and  there  soldiers,  covered  all 


352  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

over  with  dust,  and  bleeding  from  fearful  wounds,  tried  pain- 
fully to  raise  themselves  from  the  ground. 

Those  of  the  Saxons  who  had  not  heen  struck  hy  the  ter- 
rible avalanche,  fell  back  shuddering.  When  the  Tyrolese 
saw  this,  their  compassion  at  the  cruel  fate  of  the  dead  gave 
way,  and  with  deafening  shouts  they  burst  forth  from  their 
concealment,  and,  mingling  with  the  enemy,  a  frightful 
slaughter  took  place. 

The  Saxons  rallied,  however  ;  courageous  discipline  pre- 
sided over  unskilled  valor,  and  the  column  advanced  slowly 
and  painfully  in  the  direction  of  the  bridge,  through  a  mur- 
derous fire,  and  surmounting  the  ruins  which  obstructed  the 
road  and  covered  the  bodies  of  their  comrades. 

All  at  once  exultant  shouts  and  cheers  resounded  at  the 
entrance  of  the  defile,  and  the  clarion-notes  of  martial  music 
joined  in  these  stirring  acclamations.  Fresh  troops,  re-enforce- 
ments of  the  Saxons,  were  coming  up  from  the  rear.  The  Ba- 
varians had  arrived  with  their  artillery,  which  they  had  placed 
in  a  very  favorable  position  ;  they  had  already  taken  the  two 
farm-houses  at  the  entrance  of  the  gorge  where  the  Tyrolese 
had  taken  position,  and  were  now  rushing  into  the  defile. 
The  Tyrolese,  dismayed  at  this  impetuous  advance,  retreated 
into  the  mountains. 

For  two  days  the  struggle  was  continued  in  these  gorges 
near  Mittewald.  For  two  days  Saxons  and  Tyrolese  opposed 
each  other  in  this  fratricidal  contest,  in  which  Germans  fought 
against  Germans  in  obedience  to  the  behests  of  the  tyrant 
who  had  subjugated  all  Germany,  and  to  whom  only  the  un- 
daunted Tyrol  still  offered  a  stubborn  resistance. 

The  victory  was  long  undecided.  Once  the  forces  of  the 
Duke  of  Dantsic  succeeded  at  one  extremity  of  the  defile  in 
driving  back  the  sharpshooters  under  Joachim  Haspinger,  the 
Capuchin,  and  clearing  a  passage  for  the  Saxons  struggling  in 
the  gorge.  But  the  Capuchin  had  retreated  only  to  bring  up 
fresh  forces,  dispatch  messengers  to  Speckbacher,  Peter  Mayer, 
Andreas  Hofer,  and  Anthony  Wallner,  sound  the  tocsin,  and 
concentrate  more  armed  peasants.  And  Speckbacher  came 
up  with  his  brave  sharpshooters  in  the  rear  of  the  Saxons  ; 
Anthony  Wallner  and  his  men  made  their  appearance  like- 


THE   FIFTEENTH   OF   AUGUST   AT   INNSPRUCK.          353 

wise  ;  Peter  Mayer  brought  up  fresh  forces  ;  and  Andreas 
Hofer  sent  word  that  he  would  be  on  hand  speedily.  But  the 
Saxons  were  likewise  re-enforced,  both  by  the  French,  who 
moved  up  from  Brixen,  and  the  Bavarians,  who  approached 
from  Sterzing. 

The  contest  was  continued  with  unabated  violence,  and 
both  sides  struggled  obstinately  for  the  victory.  But  the 
Tyrolese  fought  for  their  rights,  their  liberty,  their  German 
country  ;  the  Saxons  and  Bavarians  fought  for  tyranny,  for 
the  foreign  oppressor,  and  the  subjugation  of  their  country- 
men. God  granted  victory  to  the  Tyrolese,  and  in  the  defile 
of  Mittewald  upward  of  a  thousand  Saxons  had  to  atone  by 
their  death  for  having  fought  at  the  bidding  of  the  French 
conqueror  on  German  soil  against  their  German  countrymen. 

The  Tyrolese  fought  for  their  rights,  their  liberty,  their 
German  country  ;  and  the  Duke  of  Dantsic,  the  proud  mar- 
shal of  France,  was  defeated  by  the  despised  peasants  ;  he  had 
to  flee  from  their  wrath,  and  arrived  without  his  cloak  and 
hat,  trembling  and  deathly  pale,  on  his  foaming  horse  at  Ster- 
zing, which  he  had  left  a  few  hours  previously  with  the  firm 
conviction  that  he  would  inflict  a  crushing  defeat  upon  the 
"haughty  peasant-rabble."  Now  this  " haughty  peasant-rab- 
ble "  had  defeated  him. 

God  is  with  those  who  fight  for  the  rights  and  liberty  of 
Germany.  God  is  with  those  who  rise  boldly  against  French 
tyranny  and  French  arrogance  ! 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE  FIFTEENTH  OF  AUGUST  AT  INNSPRUCK. 

GOD  is  with  those  who  fight  for  the  rights  and  liberty  of 
Germany.  He  had  granted  another  victory  to  the  Tyrolese. 

Animated  by  their  brilliant  successes,  the  patriots  no  longer 
stood  on  the  defensive,  but,  flocking  from  all  quarters  to  the 
standard  of  Hofer,  assembled  in  great  multitudes  on  Mount 
Isel,  the  scene  of  their  former  triumphs,  and  destined  to  be 


354  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

immortalized  by  a  still  more  extraordinary  victory.  Lefebvre 
had  collected  his  whole  force,  consisting  of  twenty-six  thou- 
sand men,  of  whom  two  thousand  were  horse,  with  forty 
pieces  of  cannon,  on  the  little  plain  which  lies  between  Inn- 
spruck  and  the  foot  of  the  mountains  on  the  southern  side  of 
the  Inn.  They  were  far  from  being  animated,  however,  by 
their  wonted  spirit ;  the  repeated  defeats  they  had  experienced 
had  inspired  them  with  that  mysterious  dread  of  the  moun- 
taineers with  which  regular  troops  are  so  often  seized,  when, 
contrary  to  expectation,  they  have  been  worsted  by  undisci- 
plined bodies  of  men  ;  and  a  secret  feeling  of  the  injustice  of 
their  cause,  and  the  heroism  with  which  they  had  been  re- 
sisted, paralyzed  many  an  arm  which  had  never  trembled 
before  a  regular  army. 

The  Tyrolese  consisted  of  eighteen  thousand  men,  three 
hundred  of  whom  were  Austrian  soldiers  who  had  refused  to 
follow  their  officers,  and  remained  to  share  the  fate  of  the  in- 
habitants. They  were  tolerably  supplied  with  ammunition, 
but  had  little  provisions,  in  consequence  of  which  several 
hundred  peasants  had  already  gone  back  to  their  homes. 

Joseph  Speckbacher  commanded  the  right  wing,  whose 
line  extended  from  the  heights  of  Passberg  to  the  bridges  of 
Hall  and  Volders  ;  Hofer  was  with  the  centre,  and  had  his 
headquarters  at  the  inn  of  Spade,  on  the  Schonberg  ;  Haspin- 
ger  directed  the  left,  and  advanced  by  Mutters. 

At  four  in  the  morning,  the  brave  Capuchin  roused  Hofer 
from  sleep,  and,  having  first  united  with  him  in  fervent 
prayer,  hurried  out  to  communicate  his  orders  to  the  outposts. 

The  battle  commenced  at  six,  and  continued  without  inter- 
mission till  midnight,  the  Bavarians  constantly  endeavoring 
to  drive  the  Tyrolese  from  their  position  on  Mount  Isel,  and 
they,  in  their  turn,  to  force  the  enemy  back  into  the  town  of 
Innspruck. 

For  a  long  time  the  contest  was  undecided,  the  superior 
discipline  and  admirable  artillery  of  the  enemy  prevailing 
over  the  impetuous  but  disorderly  assaults  and  deadly  aim  of 
the  mountaineers  ;  but  toward  nightfall  the  bridge  of  the  Sill 
was  carried  after  a  desperate  struggle,  and  their  left  flank  be- 
ing thus  turned,  the  French  and  Bavarians  gave  way  on  all 


THE  FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST   AT  KNSPRUCK.         355 

sides,  and  were  pursued  with  great  slaughter  into  the  city. 
They  lost  six  thousand  men,  of  whom  seventeen  hundred 
wounded  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Tyrolese,  while  on  the  side 
of  the  latter  not  more  than  nine  hundred  had  fallen.  Le- 
febvre  had  to  retreat  hastily  toward  Salzburg,  where  his  whole 
army  was  collected  on  the  20th. 

This  great  victory  was  immediately  followed  by  the  libera- 
tion of  the  whole  Tyrol  ;  and  when,  on  the  morning  of  the 
15th  of  August,  the  sun  rose  over  Innspruck,  Andreas  Hofer 
and  his  victorious  host  stood  on  Mount  Isel,  gazing  with  pro- 
found emotion  on  the  reeking,  gory  battle-field,  on  which, 
two  days  ago,  war  had  raged  with  all  its  horrors,  and  on  the 
city  of  Innspruck,  whose  smoking  and  burning  houses  beto- 
kened the  last  outburst  of  the  rage  of  the  fugitive  French  mar- 
shal.* 

"  See  how  much  blood  it  has  cost,  and  how  many  wrongs 
had  to  be  committed,  that  we  might  obtain  our  rights  ! " 
sighed  Andreas  Hofer,  pointing  to  the  battle-field.  "  My  heart 
overflows  with  pity  on  seeing  these  horrors,  and  I  implore 
you  all  to  be  merciful  with  the  wounded  and  to  treat  the  pris- 
oners leniently.  Among  these  prisoners  are  about  one  thou- 
sand Bavarians  and  Saxons.  See,  they  are  standing  down 
yonder  in  dense  groups,  and  our. men  surround  them,  mock- 
ing and  abusing  them.  Go  down  to  them,  dear  Secretary 
Doninger  ;  tell  them  to  be  merciful  and  compassionate,  and 
to  bear  always  in  mind  that  the  prisoners  are  no  longer  their 
enemies,  but  their  German  brethren  ;  that  they  are  Saxons 
and  Bavarians,  speak  one  and  the  same  language  with  us,  and 
are  our  countrymen.  Repeat  this  to  our  men,  Doninger,  and 
say  to  them  in  my  name,  '  Do  not  injure  the  prisoners  ;  they 
are  Saxons  and  Bavarians,  and  good  and  brave  men  !  '"t 

"  They  are  not  exactly  good  men,"  said  Speckbacher,  who 
was  standing  on  the  right  side  of  Andreas  Hofer  ;  "  no,  they 
are  not  exactly  good  men,  Andy  ;  otherwise  they  would  not 
have  fought  against  us,  who  are  assuredly  good  men  and  have 
done  nothing  but  defend  our  dear  country." 

Instead  of  replying  to  him,  Andreas  Hofer  turned  smil- 

i:  «  Gallery  of  Her  >es :  Andreas  Hofvr,"  p.  126. 
t  Andreas  Holer's  own  word**.— ibid.,  p.  126. 


356  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

ingly  to  the  Capuchin,  who  was  standing  on  his  left  side. 
"  Brother  Joachim,"  he  said  gently,  "  you  ought  to  exhort  our 
Joseph  here  a  little,  that  he  may  comply  with  the  Redeemer's 
precept  and  forgive  his  enemies.  He  is  a  very  good,  but  very 
stubborn  fellow  ;  a  brave  and  excellent  soldier,  but  it  would 
do  him  no  harm  if  he  were  a  better  Christian." 

"  If  we  had  been  good  Christians  latterly  we  should  never 
have  defeated  the  enemy,"  growled  the  Capuchin,  shaking  his 
head.  "  If  we  were  good  Christians,  we  should  have  to  love  our 
enemies,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  us,  and  pray  for  those  who 
despitefully  use  us  and  persecute  us.  So  long  as  we  are  sol- 
diers, Andy,  we  cannot  be  good  Christians  ;  and  I  thank  God 
for  it  that  we  fought  like  downright  brave  heathens.  But 
after  the  enemy  has  been  expelled  from  the  country,  and  peace 
prevails  again  everywhere,  and  I  have  returned  to  my  tedious 
convent  at  Seeben,  I  will  become  again  a  pious  Capuchin,  and 
exhort  our  dear  brave  Joseph  Speckbacher  to  become  as  good 
a  Christian  as  our  Andreas  Hofer." 

"  No,  no,  brother  Joachim,  we  will  not  wait  until  then  to 
show  to  the  world  that  we  are  good  Christians,"  exclaimed 
Andreas.  "  God  stood  by  us  in  the  battle  of  Mount  Isel  and 
made  us  victorious  over  our  enemies.  Let  us  thank  Him, 
therefore,  for  His  surpassing  goodness  and  mercy  ;  let  us  pray 
Him  to  bless  our  victory  and  grant  a  glorious  resurrection  to 
those  who  had  to  sacrifice  their  lives  for  it." 

He  drew  his  large  rosary  from  his  bosom,  and,  lifting  his 
eyes  devoutly  to  heaven,  sank  down  on  his  knees. 

"  Yes,  let  us  pray  God  to  bless  our  victory,"  said  Father 
Haspinger,  bending  his  knees  like  Andreas  Hofer  ;  and  Joseph 
Speckbacher  followed  his  example. 

And  the  pious  Tyrolese,  seeing  their  leaders  kneeling  on  the 
height  above,  were  filled  with  devout  emotion  ;  they  knelt 
likewise  ;  their  cheers  and  Jodlers,  their  shouts  and  laughter 
died  away  ;  only  prayers  were  heard  from  their  lips,  and,  as 
an  accompaniment  to  them,  the  melodious  peals  of  the  bells, 
with  which  the  people  of  Innspruck  were  celebrating  the  de- 
parture of  the  French  marshals,  and  the  approach  of  the  de- 
fenders of  the  country. 

At  this  moment  the  sun  burst  forth  from  the  clouds,  and 


THE  FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST  AT  INNSPRUCK.         357 

shed  a  radiant  lustre  on  this  whole  sublime  scene — the  three 
kneeling  heroes  on  the  height  above,  and  all  around  the  Tyro- 
lese,  clad  in  their  picturesque  national  costume,  kneeling  and 
thanking  God,  with  tears  in  their  eyes,  for  the  victory  He  had 
vouchsafed  to  them. 

The  Bavarian  and  Saxon  prisoners,  carried  away  by  this 
spectacle,  knelt  down  like  the  Tyrolese,  and  prayed  to  God, 
like  their  enemies— not  thanking  Him,  as  the  latter  did,  for 
the  victory,  but  for  having  made  them  prisoners,  of  good  and 
pious  victors.* 

All  at  once  this  pious  scene  was  interrupted  by  loud  cheers, 
shouts,  and  Jodlers,  and  a  long,  imposing  procession  of  sing- 
ing, jubilant  men  ascended  the  mountain.  The  new-comers 
were  the  students  of  Innspruck,  who  came  to  congratulate 
Andreas  Hofer  on  his  brilliant  victory,  and  accompany  him 
on  his  triumphal  entry  into  the  city.  Many  persons  followed 
them,  and  all  shouted  exultingly,  "  Where  is  Andreas  Hofer, 
the  savior  of  the  country  ?  Where  is  Andreas  Hofer,  the  lib- 
erator ? " 

The  band  heading  the  procession  of  the  students,  struck  up 
a  ringing  nourish  on  beholding  Andreas,  who  had  risen  from 
his  knees  at  their  approach.  But  he  raised  his  arm  impera- 
tively ;  the  band  ceased  playing  immediately,  and  the  cheers 
died  away  on  the  lips  of  the  students,  who  bowed  respectfully 
to  the  tall,  imposing  form  of  the  Barbone. 

"  Hush,  hush,"  said  Andreas,  gravely  ;  "  pray  !  No  cheers, 
no  music  !  Neither  I  nor  any  of  us  did  it ;  all  the  glory  is 
due  to  Him  above  ! "  t 

"  But  you  helped  the  good  God  a  little,"  said  the  speaker  of 
the  students,  "  and  therefore  you  must  submit  to  accept  the 
thanks  of  the  whole  Tyrol,  and  to  being  called  the  savior  and 
liberator  of  the  country.  We  come  to  you  as  messengers  of 
the  capital  of  the  Tyrol,  and  are  instructed  to  request  you  to 
tarry  no  longer,  but  make  your  triumphal  entry  into  the 
city." 

"  Yes,  I  will  come,"  exclaimed  Andreas,  joyfully  ;  "  what  I 
implored  of  the  Lord  as  the  highest  boon  has  been  realized 

*  Mayer's  "  Joseph  Speckbacher,"  p.  196. 
t  Andreas  Hofer'a  own  words. — Ibid.,  p.  197. 


358  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

now  :  we  shall  make  our  triumphal  entry  into  the  city,  where 
the  mean  enemy  behaved  so  shamefully.  Return  to  Inn- 
spruck,  my  friends,  and  say  to  the  inhabitants  that  we  shall  be 
in  the  city  in  the  course  of  an  hour — old  Red-beard,  Speck- 
bacher,  and  I — and  that  we  shall  be  glad  to  meet  all  our  ex- 
cellent friends  there  again." 

And  an  hour  afterward  Andreas  Hofer  and  his  friends 
made  their  entry  into  Innspruck.  He  sat  in  a  gorgeous  car- 
riage, drawn  by  four  splendid  white  horses,  which  he  himself 
had  taken  from  a  French  colonel  during  his  flight  across  the 
Brenner.  By  the  side  of  the  Sandwirth  sat  Joachim  Haspin- 
ger,  the  Capuchin,  and  beside  the  carriage  rode  Joseph  Specic- 
bacher,  with  a  radiant  face,  and  his  dark,  fiery  eyes  beaming 
with  triumphant  joy  ;  he  was  mounted  on  the  proud  magnifi- 
cently-caparisoned charger  that  had  borne  the  haughty  Duke 
of  Dantsic  two  days  ago. 

The  carriage  was  preceded  by  a  crowd  of  rejoicing  peasants, 
and  a  band  of  fifers  and  fiddlers  ;  carpets  and  banners  hung 
from  all  the  windows  and  balconies  ;  ladies  in  beautiful  attire 
greeted  the  conquering  hero  with  waving  handkerchiefs  ;  and 
the  people  in  the  streets,  the  ladies  on  the  balconies,  and  the 
boys  on  the  roofs  and  in  the  trees,  shouted  enthusiastically, 
"Long  live  Andreas  Hofer  !  Long  live  the  commander- in- 
chief  of  the  Tyrol  ! "  And  the  bells  pealed,  the  cannon  posted 
on  the  market-place  thundered,  and  the  fifers  and  fiddlers 
made  as  much  noise  as  possible. 

"  Listen,  brother  Haspinger,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  turning 
to  the  Capuchin,  while  the  carriage  was  moving  on  slowly,  "I 
should  really  dislike  to  enter  the  city  always  amid  such  fuss 
and  noise  ;  and  I  believe  it  is  heavy  work  for  princes  always 
to  look  well  pleased  and  cheerful  when  they  are  so  much 
molested  by  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people.  I  looked  forward 
with  a  great  deal  of  joy  to  the  day  when  we  should  make  our 
entry  into  the  city,  and  I  thought  it  would  be  much  more 
beautiful  ;  but  now  I  am  greatly  tired  of  the  whole  thing  ;  I 
should  be  glad  if  they  would  cease  fiddling,  and  clear  a  pas- 
sage for  the  carriage  to  move  on  more  rapidly.  I  am  hungry, 
and  I  would  I  were  already  at  the  tavern  of  my  dear  friend 
Niederkircher. " 


THE  FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST   AT   IXXSPRUCK.         359 

"  Well,  you  must  learn  to  put  on  a  pleasant  face  when  the 
people  cheer  you,"  said  Haspinger,  laughing.  ''You  have 
now  become  a  prince  too,  and  I  think  your  people  will  love 
you  dearly." 

"  What  nonsense  is  that,  brother  ? "  asked  Hofer,  angrily. 

"  It  is  no  nonsense  at  all,  Andy  ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  quite 
true.  Just  listen  to  their  acclamations." 

"  Long  live  Andreas  Hofer  ! "  shouted  the  crowd,  which 
was  dancing  and  singing  around  the  carriage.  k'  Long  live 
the  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol  ! " 

"They  call  me  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol,"  said  An- 
dreas, musingly.  "  Tell  me,  Joachim,  is  it  necessary  for  me  to 
assume  that  title  ? " 

"  Yes,  it  is.  There  must  be  a  head  of  the  state,  a  man  to 
whom  the  people  may  look  up  as  its  star,  and  to  whom  it  may 
apply  as  its  comfort,  support,  and  judge.  And  as  the  people 
have  confidence  in  you  and  love  you,  you  must  be  the  man  to 
hold  the  whole  together,  lest  it  should  fall  asunder.  You 
shall  be  the  head,  and  we  others  will  be  your  hands  and 
thoughts,  and  will  work  and  fight,  and  think  for  you  and  the 
Tyrol.  We  must  have  a  leader,  a  commander-in  chief  of  the 
Tyrol,  and  you  are  the  man,  Andy." 

"  If  you  say  so,  it  must  be  so,"  said  Andreas,  nodding  his 
head  gently.  ''  Well,  then,  I  shall  be  commander-in-chief  of 
the  Tyrol  until  order  and  peace  are  restored,  and  until  the 
enemy  has  been  expelled  from  the  country  for  evermore.  But 
see,  we  have  arrived  in  front  of  Niederkircher's  tavern,  and 
there  is  Niederkircher  himself  with  his  dear  round  face.  God 
bless  you,  Niederkircher,  why  do  you  look  at  me  so  solemnly, 
and  why  have  you  dressed  up  so  nicely  ?  Why,  you  wear 
your  holiday  clothes,  and  yet  I  think  this  is  neither  Sunday 
nor  a  holiday." 

"  It  is  a  great  holiday,"  exclaimed  Niederkircher,  "  the  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  Tyrol,  the  great  Andreas  Hofer,  is 
making  his  triumphal  entry  into  the  city.  That  is  why  I  have 
put  on  my  Sunday  clothes  and  look  so  solemn  ;  for  it  would 
not  be  becoming  for  me  to  embrace  the  distinguished  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  Tyrol,  as  I  should  like  to  do  under 
other  circumstances." 


360  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  You  are  a  fool,  old  fellow  ! "  said  Andreas,  encircling  his 
friend's  neck  with  his  arm  ;  "  if  I  am  commander-in-chief  be- 
fore the  world,  I  am,  before  my  friends,  always  Andreas  Hofer, 
the  Sandwirth  and  humble  peasant.  Let  us  go  into  the  house, 
my  dear  friend  ;  and  you  Joachim,  come  with  us.  There  ! 
Take  me  to  the  small  back  room  which  I  always  occupy  dur- 
ing my  stay  in  the  city." 

"  God  forbid  ! "  exclaimed  the  innkeeper  ;  "  you  never 
must  occupy  the  back  room  again  ;  that  would  not  be  be- 
coming for  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol.  You  must 
take  my  best  room  with  the  balcony  opening  on  the  street ; 
besides,  all  is  there  in  readiness  for  your  reception." 

"  Must  I  take  it,  Joachim  ?  "  said  Andreas  to  the  Capuchin, 
almost  anxiously. 

"  Yes,  Andy,  you  must,"  replied  the  friar.  "  You  must  do 
honor  to  your  new  dignity,  and  to  us  all." 

''  It  is  a  pity  that  I  must  do  so,"  sighed  Andreas.  "  I  was 
so  glad  that  I  should  soon  be  in  the  old  back  room,  where  it  is 
so  cozy  and  quiet,  and  where  you  do  not  hear  any  thing  of  the 
noise  and  shouting  outside.  But,  if  it  cannot  be  helped,  let  us 
go  to  the  best  room  ;  but  pray,  if  it  is  possible,  give  us  some- 
thing to  eat  there.  Some  sound  dumplings  and  a  glass  of  na- 
tive wine,  friend  Niederkircher. " 

"  No,  no,  Andreas  Hofer,  that  will  not  do  to-day,"  replied 
the  innkeeper  ;  "  I  have  had  all  my  servants  at  work  in  the 
kitchen  ever  since  sunrise,  and  you  will  have  a  dinner  suitable 
for  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol." 

"  I  should  have  preferred  dumplings  and  native  wine  in  the 
small  back  room,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  dolefully,  while  he  as- 
cended with  the  innkeeper  and  the  Capuchin  to  the  best  room 
on  the  first  floor. 

This  was  a  very  fine  room  indeed,  and  even  though  it  was 
not  as  cozy  as  the  back  room  for  which  Hofer  bad  longed,  it 
was  at  all  events  very  agreeable  to  him  to  be  once  more  under 
a  hospitable  roof,  and  enjoy  a  little  rest  and  tranquillity.-  -In 
the  middle  of  the  room  stood  a  table  handsomely  festooned 
with  flowers,  and  covered  with  bottles  of  wine,  cake,  and  all 
sorts  of  fruit. 

*'  Now,  my  distinguished  friends,  make  yourselves  as  com- 


THE  FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST  AT   INNSPRUCK.         361 

fortable  as  possible,"  said  Niederkircher,  cheerfully  ;  "lie 
down  awhile  on  the  silken  divan  and  repose.  Meanwhile  I 
will  go  to  the  kitchen  and  order  dinner  to  be  served  to  the 
commander-in-chief  and  his  two  generals,  Haspinger  and 
Speckbacher." 

"  I  shall  comply  with  your  request,"  growled  the  Capuchin, 
"and  make  myself  as  comfortable  as  possible." 

He  hurled  his  heavy,  dusty  leathern  shoes  quickly  from 
his  feet  into  a  corner  of  the  room  ;  he  then  lay  down  on  the 
carpet  in  front  of  the  divan,  and  stretching  his  limbs,  ex- 
claimed, "  Forsooth,  I  have  not  been  able  for  a  long  while  to 
make  myself  as  comfortable  as  to-day  !  " 

"But  you,  commander-in-chief,"  said  Niederkircher,  be- 
seechingly, "  I  hope,  will  not  disdain  my  divan  ?  Rest  there 
a  little,  Andy,  until  the  waiters  bring  you  your  dinner." 

"  God  forbid  !  I  must  first  attend  to  my  horses,"  exclaimed 
Andreas.  "  I  suppose,  Niederkircher,  you  saw  my  four  splen- 
did white  horses  ?  They  are  honest  war-spoils  ;  I  will  keep 
them  forever  and  never  sell  them,  although  I  could  get  a 
round  sum  for  them,  for  they  are  fine  animals  ;  only  the  first 
horse  on  the  right-hand  side,  I  believe,  is  a  little  weak  in  the 
chest,  and  ought  not  to  be  overworked.  Before  going  to  din- 
ner and  making  myself  comfortable,  I  must  go  and  feed  the 
horses  and  see  if  they  are  comfortable.  You  know,  Nieder- 
kircher, I  have  always  fed  my  horses  myself,  and  will  do  so 
to-day  also." 

And  he  hastened  toward  the  door  ;  but  Niederkircher  ran 
after  him  and  kept  him  back. 

"  For  God's  sake,  Hofer,"  he  cried  in  dismay,  "  what  are 
you  going  to  do  ?  Why,  you  are  not  a  horse-trader  nor  the 
Sandwirth  to-day,  but  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol." 

"  It  is  true,  I  forgot  it,"  sighed  Andreas.  "  Go,  then,  dear 
friend,  get  us  our  dinner,  and  have  a  large  bundle  of  hay  put 
into  the  manger  of  the  horses. — But,  great  God  i  what  dread- 
ful noise  is  that  in  the  street  ?  Why,  those  men  are  shouting 
so  loudly  that  the  walls  are  shaking  and  the  windows  rattling  ! 
What  do  they  want  ?  Why  do  they  always  repeat  my  name  ? 
Look  out,  Niederkircher,  and  see  what  is  the  matter." 

Niederkircher  hastened  to  the  window  and  drew  the  cur- 
24 


362  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

tain  aside  in  order  to  look  out  into  the  street.  A  dense  srowd 
was  assembled  in  front  of  the  tavern  ;  it  was  incessantly 
cheering  and  shouting  :  "  Andreas  Hofer  !  Come  out!  Long 
live  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol,  the  liberator  !  We 
want  to  see  him,  we  must  thank  him  for  delivering  us  from 
the  enemy.  Andreas  Hofer  !  Andreas  Hofer  ! " 

"  You  cannot  get  around  it,  Andy  ;  you  must  step  out  on 
the  balcony,"  said  Niederkircber,  stepping  back  from  the  win- 
dow. "The  people  are  perfectly  beside  themselves  with  love 
and  enthusiasm,  and  will  not  keep  quiet  until  you  come  out 
and  make  a  speech  to  them.  Do,  my  friend,  step  out  on  the 
balcony  !" 

"  Must  I  do  it  ? "  asked  Andreas,  dolefully,  turning  to  the 
Capuchin,  who  was  stretching  himself  comfortably  on  the 
carpet. 

"  You  must,  brother,"  said  Haspinger,  gravely.  "  The  peo- 
ple wish  to  see  their  beloved  leader,  and  it  would  be  ungrate- 
ful not  to  accept  their  love." 

Andreas  Hofer  sighed,  but  he  yielded  and  approached  the 
balcony,  the  doors  of  which  were  thrown  open  by  the  inn- 
keeper. 

No  sooner  had  the  thousands  assembled  in  front  of  the 
house  beheld  the  tall  form  of  their  favorite  leader,  than  thun- 
dering cheers  rent  the  air  ;  all  waved  their  hats  and  shouted, 
"  Long  live  Andreas  Hofer  !  Long  live  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  Tyrol !  " 

And  now  a  feeling  of  profound  emotion  overcame  the  ten- 
der, grateful  heart  of  Andreas  Hofer  ;  joy  and  ecstasy  filled 
his  soul  in  the  face  of  so  much  love  and  enthusiasm,  and  tears 
of  the  most  unalloyed  bliss  glistened  in  his  eyes,  which  greeted 
the  jubilant  people  with  tender,  loving  glances.  He  was 
anxious  to  thank  these  kind  people  and  give  utterance  to  his 
love  ;  and  he  lifted  up  his  arm,  asking  them  to  be  quiet  that 
he  might  address  them. 

The  cheers  and  acclamations  ceased  immediately,  and 
Hofer  spoke  amidst  the  breathless  silence  of  the  crowd  in  a 
loud,  ringing  voice  : 

u  God  bless  you,  dear  people  of  Innspruck  !  As  you 
wanted  me  to  become  your  commander-in-chief,  I  am  now  in 


THE   FIFTEENTH   OF   AUGUST   AT   INNSPRUCK.         363 

your  midst.  But  there  are  many  other  Tyrolese  who  are  not 
inhabitants  of  Innspruck.  All  who  wish  to  be  my  comrades 
must  fight  as  brave  and  honest  Tyrolese  for  God,  the  emperor, 
and  our  fatherland.  Those  who  are  unwilling  to  do  so  must 
go  back  to  their  homes.  Those  who  wish  to  become  my  com- 
rades must  never  desert  me.  I  shall  not  desert  you  either, 
as  sure  as  my  name  is  Andreas  Hofer  !  You  have  seen  me 
now,  and  heard  what  I  had  to  say  to  you  ;  therefore  good- 
by  ! "  * 

When  Hofer  had  concluded  his  speech,  thundering  cheers 
rent  again  the  air  ;  they  continued  even  after  he  had  left  the 
balcony,  closed  the  door  after  him,  and  stepped  back  into  the 
room. 

"  That  was  a  very  fine  speech,  Andy.'1  said  Niederkircher, 
shaking  hands  with  him,  and  gazing  tenderly  into  his  flushed 
face.  ""  It  was  evident  that  your  words  were  not  learned  by 
rote,  but  came  from  your  heart,  and  hence  they  could  not  but 
make  a  profound  impression.  But  now,  commander-in-chief 
of  the  Tyrol,  dinner  is  ready.  The  soup  is  already  on  the 
table,  and  I  myself  shall  have  the  honor  of  waiting  on  you." 

"  But  Speckbacher  is  not  yet  here,"  said  Andreas  Hofer, 
'•  and  we  cannot  dine  without  him.  We  fought  and  worked 
together  ;  now  we  will  also  rest  and  attend  to  our  comforts 
together.  Do  you  not  think  so  too,  brother  Red-beard  ? " 

But  the  Capuchin  made  no  reply,  or  rather  he  responded 
only  by  a  loud  and  long  snore. 

"  By  the  Holy  Virgin  !  Haspinger  has  fallen  asleep  on  the 
floor  yonder,"  exclaimed  Andreas,  smiling. 

"  Let  us  waken  him,  then,"  said  Niederkircher,  turning  to 
the  sleeper. 

''  No,  my  friend,  no,  we  will  not  do  so,'1  whispered  Andreas, 
drawing  him  back.  "  Our  faithful  and  brave  brother  Red- 
beard  has  been  so  long  awake  and  at  work  that  we  must  let 
him  rest,  and  it  would  be  very  wrong  in  us  to  arouse  him 
from  his  sleep.  Let  us  defer  dinner,  therefore,  until  Speck- 
bacher is  here,  and  until  Haspinger  has  slept  enough." 

"  But  you  said  you  were  hungry,  Andreas.  Why  do  you 
want  to  wait,  then  ?  Why  do  you  not  dine  now  and  let  the 

*  Hofer's  own  words. — See  "  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  126. 


364:  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

other  two  dine  afterward  ?  You  are  Commander-in-chief,  the 
highest  officer  of  all,  and  they  must  do  as  it  suits  you,  and  you 
must  not  do  as  it  suits  them." 

"  Do  not  repeat  such  nonsense,"  cried  Andreas,  vehemently. 
"  I  am  commander-in-chief  only  because  it  is  necessary  that 
there  should  be  one  to  hold  the  whole  together  lest  it  should 
fall  asunder.  That  is  what  Father  Haspinger  said,  and  it  is 
true.  But  even  though  I  am  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol, 
I  am  not  commander-in-chief  of  my  friends  in  my  intimate  in- 
tercourse with  them.  All  three  of  us  have  worked  to  the  best 
of  our  power  for  the  fatherland,  and  I  have  not  done  more 
than  Speckbacher  or  the  Capuchin.  It  is  true,  I  am  hungry, 
but  I  shall  not  go  to  dinner  without  my  friends  ;  moreover,  it 
is  good  that  they  are  not  here  yet,  and  that  I  have  a  little  time 
left.  The  cravings  of  my  stomach  made  me  almost  forget 
my  duty  to  God,  and  by  the  absence  of  my  friends  He  reminds 
me  that  I  owe  Him  something  and  must  come  to  Him.  Keep 
your  fine  soup,  therefore,  a  little  while,  Niederkircher  ;  I  will, 
in  the  mean  time,  go  to  the  church  of  the  Franciscans  to  re- 
port  there  to  the  Lord  as  His  faithful  servant  and  soldier." 

He  took  his  black  Tyrolese  hat,  descended  hastily  the  stair- 
case, and  went  into  the  street.  He  had  not  noticed  the  dissat- 
isfied air  of  Niederkircher,  and  the  fact  that  the  innkeeper  had 
not  even  thanked  him  for  his  greeting  ;  for  all  his  thoughts 
were  now  fixed  upon  God,  and  he  reproached  himself  con- 
tritely with  almost  forgetting  God,  owing  to  the  cravings  of 
his  stomach. 

"Forgive  me,  my  Lord  and  God,"  he  murmured,  on  en- 
tering the  gloomy  nave  of  the  church,  "  for  not  coming  to 
Thee  at  once  1 " 

He  walked  up  the  aisle  with  a  noiseless,  hurried  step,  in 
order  not  to  disturb  the  worshippers,  to  one  of  the  small  altars, 
before  which  he  knelt  down  devoutly. 

u  Here  I  am,  my  Lord  and  God,"  he  murmured,  clasping 
his  hands,  "  to  render  homage  to  Thee  and  thank  Thee  for  de- 
livering us  from  the  enemy  and  granting  victory  to  us.  I 
thank  Thee  for  it  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  for  Thy  mercy 
was  with  us,  and  Thou  didst  lead  us  as  a  true  general.  Guide 
us  henceforth  likewise,  my  Lord  and  God,  and  stand  by  Thy 


THE   FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST   AT  INNSPRUCK.         365 

faithful  servant,  that  he  may  not  fail  in  the  difficult  task  which 
he  has  now  taken  upon  himself.  Lord,  Thou  knowest  that 
vanity  and  pride  do  not  prompt  me  to  hecome  more  than  I 
ought  to  be  ;  Thou  knowest  that  I  would  rather  be  quietly  at 
home  with  my  wife  and  children,  than  play  the  distinguished 
gentleman  here  and  assume  an  aristocratic  title.  But  the 
Capuchin,  who  is  wiser  than  I,  says  it  must  be  so,  and  I  must 
be  commander-in-chief.  Hence,  I  submit  patiently,  and  con- 
sent to  play  the  ruler  here  until  Thou,  my  Lord  and  God,  al- 
lowest  me  again  to  be  Thy  humble  and  simple  servant,  and  to 
return  to  my  beloved  Anna  Gertrude,  my  three  little  daugh- 
ters, and  my  dear  little  boy.  O  Holy  Virgin,  watch  with  ma- 
ternal care  over  my  dear  ones  at  home  ;  protect  them,  and 
grant  peace  to  their  hearts,  that  they  may  not  tremble  for  my 
safety.  Grant  peace  to  us  all,  Holy  Mother  of  God,  and — " 

"  Look,  look,  there  he  is  ! "  shouted  a  loud  voice  behind 
him,  interrupting  him  in  his  prayer.  "  See,  there  is  the  great 
hero  !  How  humbly  he  is  kneeling  before  the  altar  !  Look 
at  Andreas  Hofer." 

Andreas  Hofer  turned,  indignant  at  the  interruption  and 
the  words  so  loudly  uttered  in  that  sacred  place.  He  saw  sev- 
eral hundred  persons  thronging  the  aisle  and  fixing  their  eyes 
upon  him.  All  crowded  forward  and  raised  their  heads  to  see 
Andreas  Hofer,  admire  his  fine  beard,  and  examine  his  whole 
appearance.  They  had  followed  him  quietly,  and  as  the  news 
that  Andreas  Hofer,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol,  had 
gone  to  the  church  of  the  Franciscans,  spread  rapidly,  all  had 
hastened  thither  to  see  him  and  render  him  homage. 

But  Andreas  Hofer  thought  this  homage  decidedly  irk- 
some, and  he  was  angry  that  the  spectators  had  disturbed 
his  prayer.  He,  therefore,  made  a  bitter-sweet  face  in  re- 
sponse to  the  enthusiastic  demonstrations  and  affectionate 
greetings  of  the  people,  and  elbowed  his  way  hastily  toward 
the  door. 

"I  thank  you  for  your  attachment,"  he  said  to  those  who 
were  close  to  him,  "  but  I  should  have  been  better  pleased  if 
you  had  allowed  me  quietly  to  pursue  my  way,  and  had  not 
interrupted  my  prayer.  But  now  pray  let  me  go  home  alone, 
and  do  not  follow  me.  It  may  be  becoming  for  aristocratic 


366  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

gentlemen  to  have  a  large  suite  behind  them,  but  I  am  only  a 
simple  Tyrolese  like  you  all.  and  do  not  want  to  be  any  thing 
else.  Moreover,  I  am  a  very  ordinary-looking  man,  and 
there  is  no  reason  whatever  why  you  should  stare  at  me  in 
this  manner.  Pray,  therefore,  do  not  go  with  me,  but  let 
me  return  quietly  to  Niederkircher's  tavern,  where  I  am  going 
to  dine." 

They  obeyed,  of  course,  and  opened  a  passage  for  him  to 
step  out  of  the  church  door.  But  thereupon  they  rushed  out 
to  look  after  him  and  shout,  "  Long  live  Andreas  Hofer,  the 
pious  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol  ! ''  But  no  one  ven- 
tured to  follow  him  ;  all  gazed  affectionately  and  reverentially 
after  his  tall  form,  as  he  walked  with  a  slow  and  dignified  step 
down  the  street. 

"  There  are  strange  people  in  these  cities,"  murmured  Hofer 
to  himself,  while  walking  along  ;  ''  they  do  not  even  let  me 
pray  quietly,  and  are  as  curious  as  swallows.  They  follow 
me  everywhere,  and  stare  at  me  as  though  I  were  a  wild  beast. 
If  that  is  being  a  famous  man,  I  do  not  care  for  fame  ;  and 
for  the  whole  world  I  would  not  be  an  aristocratic  or  famous 
man  all  my  lifetime.  When  peace  has  been  restored  to  the 
country,  and  there  is  no  longer  an  enemy  to  fight,  they  will 
forget  my  humble  services,  and  I  shall  live  again  quietly  at 
my  inn  in  the  Passeyr  valley.  No  one  will  then  run  after 
the  Sandwirth  when  he  comes  to  Innspruck  to  sell  horses  ; 
and  I  shall  sit  again  in  Niederkircher's  back  room,  eat  dump- 
lings, and  drink  native  wine.  Ah,  Holy  Virgin,  let  it  soon  be 
so  again,  that  the  commander-in-chief  may  be  again  Sand- 
wirth Andreas  Hofer." 

"  Hurrah,  long  live  the  coramander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol !  " 
shouted  at  this  moment  some  men  who  had  recognized  him, 
and  stood  still  to  do  homage  to  him  as  though  he  were  a  sov- 
ereign prince. 

Andreas  Hofer  accelerated  his  step,  and  was  very  glad  on 
reaching  the  tavern  soon  afterward. 


ANDREAS  HOFER,  THE  EMPEROR'S  LIEUTENANT.      367 
CHAPTEE  XXXIII. 

ANDREAS  HOFER,  THE  EMPEROR'S  LIEUTENANT. 

ANDREAS  ascended  the  staircase  hastily,  and  entered  the 
balcony -room. 

The  Capuchin  had  now  risen  from  the  carpet  ;  Joseph 
Speck bacher  was  with  him,  and  both  hastened  to  meet  Andreas 
Hofer. 

"  You  have  kept  us  waiting  a  long  while,  brother,"  said  the 
Capuchin,  indignantly ;  "  you  ought  to  have  borne  in  mind  that 
we  have  not  eaten  any  thing,  and  are,  therefore,  very  hungry." 

"Yes,  Father  Andy,"  exclaimed  Speckbacher,  smiling, 
"  you  hung  our  bread-basket  very  high  ;  we  are  quite  weak 
from  waiting  and  hunger." 

"  Now  they  blame  me  for  keeping  them  waiting,"  said  An- 
dreas mildly.  "  And  yet  I  think  they  kept  me  waiting,  and 
hunger  drove  me  to  the  church.  Well,  never  mind,  my  dear 
friends  and  comrades  ;  we  are  together  now,  and  I  am  very 
glad  of  it.  Look  at  Niederkircher  and  his  large  dish  !  How 
splendidly  it  smokes  and  smells,  and  how  good  it  will  be  to 
eat  !  Well,  Niederkircher,  put  the  dish  on  the  table  here,  and 
sit  down  and  dine  with  us." 

"  No,  no,  commander-in-chief,  it  is  my  duty  to-day  to  wait 
on  you,  for  you  are  now  a  highly  distinguished  gentleman, 
and  so  are  the  other  two  ;  hence,  it  would  not  behoove  me  to 
dine  with  you." 

"  If  you  refuse  to  do  so,  I  shall  not  eat  at  all,"  cried  An- 
dreas Hofer. 

"  And  I  shall  run  away,"  said  Speckbacher.  jumping  up 
from  his  chair. 

"I  shall  sit  still,"  growled  the  Capuchin,  "but  I  shall 
henceforth  turn  my  back  upon  Neiderkircher  if  he  allows  our 
soup  to  become  cold  instead  of  sitting  down  at  once  and  din- 
ing with  us." 

"  I  will  do  so,"  cried  Niederkircher,  moving  a  chair  to  the 
table,  and  seating  himself  on  it.  "  But  now  my  friends,  per- 
mit me  at  least  to  fill  your  plates." 


368  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"  We  will  not  object  to  that  ! ''  exclaimed  the  three  friends, 
laughing  ;  "and  pray  fill  them  well,  Niederkircher." 

There  was  a  long  pause  now  ;  nothing  was  heard  but  the 
rattling  of  the  spoons  on  the  plates.  All  at  once  this  com- 
fortable silence  was  broken  by  deafening  cheers  and  shouts 
uttered  on  the  street. 

Hofer  dropped  his  spoon,  frowned,  and  listened.  "  I  believe 
they  are  calling  me  again,"  he  sighed,  dolefully. 

He  was  not  mistaken.  Hundreds  of  youthful  voices  were 
heard  shouting  Andreas  Hofer's  name,  and  their  cheers  were 
followed  by  a  loud,  ringing  flourish  of  violins,  fifes,  bugles, 
and  trumpets. 

"  They  have  musicians  with  them,"  exclaimed  Hofer,  anx- 
iously. "  Holy  Virgin,  just  listen  how  they  are  roaring  !  It 
seems  as  if  they  were  intent  on  upsetting  the  house." 

"  They  are  calling  you,  they  want  to  see  you,"  said  Nieder- 
kircher, who  had  stepped  to  the  window.  "They  'are  the 
students  of  the  university  ;  they  have  come  in  their  holiday 
attire  to  serenade  you." 

"  And  why  do  they  want  to  serenade  me  ? "  asked  An- 
dreas Hofer,  almost  indignantly.  "Why  not  Speckbach- 
er,  or  the  Capuchin,  or  Peter  Mayer,  or  Anthony  Wall- 
ner  ?  They  all  did  just  as  much  as  I  did,  and  perhaps  even 
more." 

''  But  you  are  the  people's  favorite,  brother,"  said  the  Cap- 
uchin, smiling  ;  "  the  people  believe  in  you,  and  it  would  be 
cruel  and  short-sighted  in  us  to  shake  their  faith  in  you. 
Every  thing  must  come  from  you  ;  you  must  have  done  and 
accomplished  every  thing." 

"  And  what  we  others  did,  we  did  only  in  your  name,  Fa- 
ther Andy  ! "  exclaimed  Speckbacher  ;  "  the  people  and  the 
sharpshooters  would  not  have  obeyed  us  so  well,  had  they  not 
believed  that  you  had  issued  all  the  orders  and  instructions 
which  we  gave  them.  On  hearing  your  name  they  obeyed, 
fough'  well,  and  were  confident  that  we  should  succeed.  And 
for  this  reason  they  are  justified  in  coupling  your  name  with 
the  celebration  of  the  victory.  Just  listen  how  they  are 
shouting  your  name  !  It  is  true,  the  dear  boys  have  tremen- 
dous lungs,  and  if  you  do  not  comply  with  their  wishes,  and 


ANDREAS   IIOFER,  THE   EMPEROR'S   LIEUTENANT.       369 

show  yourself  on  the  balcony,  I  am  afraid  they  will  make  us 
deaf  and  themselves  quite  hoarse." 

"  Well,  I  do  not  care,"  sighed  Andreas  ;  "  open  the  door 
again,  Niederkircher,  I  must  step  out  on  the  balcony." 

"  And  make  another  fine  speech  as  before,"  said  the  inn- 
keeper, throwing  open  the  folding-doors. 

Andreas  made  no  reply,  but  went  to  the  balcony  with  a 
grave  and  almost  angry  face.  Deafening  cheers  greeted  him, 
and  the  dense  crowd  assembled  in  the  street  shouted  :  "  Long 
live  Andreas  Hofer,  the  commander-in-chief  !  Long  live  An- 
dreas Hofer,  the  liberator  ! " 

"  My  brave  son,  Joseph  Speckbacher,"  said  the  Capuchin, 
filling  his  glass,  "  you  see  every  one  gets  his  due  in  the  end. 
Day  before  yesterday,  while  we  were  fighting  in  the  sweat  of 
our  brows  on  Mount  Isel,  my  dear  brother  Andreas  Hofer  sat 
up  at  his  friend  Etschmann's  tavern.  A  bottle  of  wine  stood 
before  him,  and  his  rosary  lay  on  the  table  ;  and  while  we 
were  fighting,  he  prayed  and  drank,  and  sent  us  from  time  to 
time  his  orders,  which  sounded  like  oracles,  which  no  one 
understood,  and  which  every  one  interpreted  as  he  deemed 
prudent.  Now  he  must  toil  in  his  turn  and  fight  with 
his  tongue,  while  we  are  sitting  here  snugly  and  drink- 
ing our  wine.  There  is  another  flourish  outside  !  Trara  ! 
trara  !  " 

And  the  Capuchin  waved  his  glass  and  emptied  it  at  one 
draught. 

Suddenly  the  crowd  in  the  street  became  silent ;  a  student 
came  forward  and  advanced  several  steps  toward  the  bal- 
cony. 

"Andreas  Hofer,  beloved  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyr- 
ol," he  said,  in  a  loud,  solemn  voice,  "  our  hearts  are  full  of 
love  for  you  and  praise  of  your  heroic  deeds,  and  our  lips,  too, 
would  like  to  overflow.  Permit  us,  therefore,  noble  hero,  be- 
loved liberator,  to  sing  before  you  a  song  glorifying  your  ex- 
ploits ;  a  song  praising  your  struggles  and  victories  ;  a  song 
which  will  henceforth  be  sung  by  every  man,  woman,  and 
child,  throughout  the  Tyrol.  We  students  wrote  the  song, 
for  your  heroic  deeds  filled  our  hearts  with  enthusiasm,  and 
our  attachment  to  you  taught  us  the  finest  music  for  it.  Per- 


370  ANDREAS   HOFEK. 

mit  us,  therefore,  to  sing  before  you  the  song  of  the  victorious 
hero  Andreas  Hofer." 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  friends,  do  not  sing,"  exclaimed  Hofer, 
gravely  and  almost  angrily.  "  Do  not  sing,  and  do  not  play 
any  longer  on  your  fifes  and  violins.  We  did  not  take  the 
field  to  sing  and  dance,  and  I  did  not  leave  my  wife  and  chil- 
dren at  home  with  a  light  heart,  but  with  tears  and  anxiety. 
But  I  did  it  because  it  was  the  Lord's  will ;  and  as  He  accom- 
panied me  into  battle  we  succeeded  in  defeating  the  enemy. 
But  it  was  a  hard  and  mournful  task  ;  many  brave  and  excel- 
lent men  lost  their  limbs  or  even  their  lives,  and  many  wounded 
patriots  are  yet  imploring  God  to  relieve  them  of  their  terrible 
agony.  And  while  they  are  groaning  and  wailing,  can  you 
wish  to  sing  ?  While  so  many  fathers  and  mothers  are  la- 
menting their  fallen  sons,  can  you  wish  to  exult  here  and 
make  music  ?  No,  my  dear  friends,  that  would  not  be  becom- 
ing for  a  Christian  and  charitable  people.  You  had  better  lay 
your  violins  aside  and  take  up  your  rosaries.  Do  not  sing, 
but  pray.  Pray  aloud  and  fervently  for  our  beloved  emperor. 
and.  if  you  like,  you  may  add  a  low  prayer  for  poor  Andreas 
Hofer.  But  you  shall  not  sing  any  songs  in  his  honor,  for 
God  alone  accomplished  it  all,  and  homage  should  be  rendered 
to  none  but  Him.  Therefore,  do  not  sing,  but  pray.  Pray  in 
my  name,  too,  for  I  have  not  much  time  now,  and  cannot  pray 
as  much  as  I  should  like  to  do.  Say  to  the  good  God  that 
we  toiled  honestly  and  bravely  ;  say  to  Him  that  we  suffered 
privations,  watched,  fought,  and  conquered,  for  the  father- 
land ;  and  pray  to  Him  for  the  brave  men  who  accompanied 
us  to  the  holy  struggle,  and  who  will  never  return,  but  have 
succumbed  to  their  mortal  wounds.  Do  not  sing,  but  pray 
for  their  poor  souls.  Play  your  merry  melodies  no  longer, 
but  go  home  quietly  and  pray  God  to  protect  us  henceforth  as 
He  has  heretofore.  That  is  what  I  wish  to  tell  you,  my  dear 
friends.  And  now  God  bless  you,  and  accept  my  heart-felt 
thanks  for  your  love  and  attachment."  * 

The  students,  seized  with  profound  emotion,  and  deeply 
impressed  by  the  simple  yet  soul-stirring  words  of  Andreas 
Hofer,  complied  quietly  and  willingly  with  his  request.  Their 

*  «  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  130. 


ANDREAS  HOFER,  THE  EMPEROR'S  LIEUTENANT.      371 

fifes,  violins,  and  bugles  became  silent,  and  the  crowd  dis- 
persed noiselessly,  without  uttering  any  more  cheers  and  ac- 
clamations. 

"  They  are  fine,  dear  lads,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  looking 
after  them  with  beaming  eyes  ;  "  strong  and  hearty  lads,  full 
of  spirits  and  impetuosity,  but  on  the  other  hand  so  gentle  and 
submissive  ! — Well,  now,"  he  exclaimed  joyfully,  stepping 
back  into  the  room,  u  I  hope  we  shall  have  some  rest,  and 
shall  be  able  to  finish  our  dinner  in  peace." 

This  hope,  however,  was  not  to  be  fulfilled.  The  dinner 
was  not  yet  over  by  any  means,  when  cheers  and  loud  noise 
resounded  once  more  in  the  street,  and  another  solemn  pro- 
cession approached  the  tavern.  This  time,  however,  the 
members  of  the  procession  did  not  remain  in  the  street,  but 
entered  the  house,  and  the  landlord,  who  had  just  gone  down- 
stairs to  fetch  some  more  bottles  of  wine  from  the  cellar,  has- 
tened back  to  the  balcony -room  and  announced  that  all  the 
commanders  of  the  Landsturm  and  the  municipal  officers 
had  arrived  to  pay  their  respects  to  the  commander-in-chief  of 
the  Tyrol  and  communicate  a  request  to  him. 

''Well,  then,"  sighed  Hofer,  rising,  "let  them  come  in 
here.  I  see  that  our  dinner  is  spoiled  anyhow.  Let  them 
come  in  here,  Niederkircher." 

"  God  forbid  !  there  are  so  many  of  them  that  they  would 
not  have  room  here  ;  besides,  it  would  not  be  becoming  for 
you  to  receive  all  these  gentlemen  here  where  there  is  a  din- 
ner-table. I  have  conducted  them  all  to  the  large  ballroom  ; 
they  await  you  there,  Andreas  Hofer." 

"  I  would  I  knew  what  they  want  of  me,"  sighed  Hofer, 
stroking  his  long  beard. 

"  I  know  what  they  want,  Father  Andy,"  said  Speckbacher, 
smiling.  "I  myself  suggested  to  the  commanders  of  the 
Landsturm  the  plan  of  asking  of  you  what  they  are  going  to 
communicate  to  you  now.  And  you  must  not  refuse  to  com- 
ply with  their  request,  Father  Andy ;  for  the  good  of  the 
country  demands  that  you  should  yield,  and  the  emperor 
himself  will  thank  you  for  so  doing." 

"I  know  likewise  what  these  gentlemen  want  of  you, 
brother  Andy,"  exclaimed  the  Capuchin,  filling  his  glass.  "  I 


372  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

was  yesterday  already  in  Itmspruck,  where  I  conferred  with 
the  mayor  and  the  memhers  of  the  city  council,  and  they  will 
tell  you  now  what  we  resolved  then.  You  must  not  resist, 
brother  ;  you  must,  on  the  contrary,  comply  with  their  re- 
quest ;  for  it  is  God's  will  that  you  should,  and  therefore  you 
must.  Now  go  to  the  ballroom,  dear  Andy." 

''  I  shall  not,  unless  you  two  accompany  me  thither,"  an- 
swered Andreas  Hofer,  emphatically.  "  They  will  finally  be- 
lieve I  wish  to  monopolize  all  honors,  and  will  charge  me  with 
forgetting  that  Haspinger  and  Speckbacher,  day  before  yester- 
day, did  a  great  deal  more  than  myself  at  the  battle  of  Mount 
Isel,  and  that  we  should  never  have  gained  a  victory  there 
without  them.  Therefore,  you  must  walk  side  by  side  with 
me,  one  on  my  right,  the  other  on  my  left  hand  ;  and  we  will 
enter  the  ballroom  just  as  we  fought  in  battle." 

On  entering  the  ballroom,  where  the  commanders  of  the 
Landsturm  in  their  uniforms  and  the  officers  of  the  munici- 
pality had  ranged  themselves  along  the  walls,  the  three  heroes 
were  received  with  three  deafening  cheers  ;  and  this  time  An- 
dreas Hofer  was  not  bold  enough  to  tell  the  enthusiastic  gen- 
tlemen to  be  silent,  but  he  looked  quite  respectfully  at  the 
mayor  in  his  long  black  robe,  who  was  approaching  him  with 
a  grave  step  between  two  members  of  the  city  council. 

"  We  come,"  he  said,  solemnly,  "  not  only  to  thank  you  for 
the  heroic  deeds  which  you  have  performed,  but  to  pray  you  to 
do  still  more  for  us  and  the  fatherland.  You  have  delivered 
the  country  from  the  enemy,  but  there  is  lacking  to  it  a  head, 
a  crown.  The  Bavarian  government  commission,  and  Count 
Rechberg.  the  king's  lieutenant,  have  escaped  from  Innspruck 
with  the  French  forces.  We  are  free  from  the  Bavarian  yoke  ; 
we  are  no  longer  governed  by  the  king's  lieutenant,  and  in  his 
place  we  want  a  lieutenant  of  the  emperor.  There  must  be 
one  in  whose  hands  all  power  is  concentrated,  and  who  rules 
over  the  country  in  the  emperor's  name.  You  must  fill  this 
position,  Andreas  Hofer.  The  authorities  and  the  people  of 
Innspruck  elect  you  the  emperor's  lieutenant.  You  shall 
govern  the  country  in  his  name,  and  we  will  all  swear  to  you 
obedience,  fidelity,  and  love." 

After  he  had  concluded  his  address,  Anthony  Wallner 


ANDREAS   HOFER,  THE   EMPEROR'S   LIEUTENANT.      373 

stepped  forth  from  the  ranks  of  the  commanders  of  the  Land- 
sturm.  "Yes,"  he  exclaimed,  "you  shall  be  the  emperor's 
lieutenant.  We  will  all  swear  to  you  obedience,  fidelity,  and 
love.  We  commanders  of  the  Landsturm  wished  to  say  this 
to  our  commander  in-chief,  and  this  was  the  reason  why  we 
came  hither.  We  want  to  pray  you  to  govern  the  Tyrol  in 
the  emperor's  name.  Your  consent  would  give  us  the  greatest 
satisfaction." 

"  We  want  to  pray  you,"  said  one  of  the  members  of  the 
city  council,  coming  forward  from  the  midst  of  his  colleagues, 
"  to  take  up  your  residence  as  the  emperor's  lieutenant  in  the 
imperial  palace  on  the  Remplatz." 

"That  will  never  do,"  cried  Andreas  Hofer,  in  dismay. 
"  How  could  I  be  so  impudent  as  to  reside  in  the  palace  of  his 
majesty  the  emperor  ?  No,  no,  that  will  never  do  ;  I  cannot 
consent  to  it." 

"  It  will  do  very  well,  and  you  must  consent  to  it,"  said 
Haspiiiger,  solemnly.  "  You  shall  reside  in  the  imperial  pal- 
ace, not  to  gratify  your  own  vanity,  but  to  reassure  the  people, 
and  show  them  that  they  are  not  entirely  destitute  of  a  ruler 
and  protector.  You  shall  govern  the  country  for  God  and 
the  emperor  until  all  our  enemies  are  worsted  and  the  war  is 
at  an  end.  The  emperor  has  not  time  at  this  juncture  to  take 
care  of  us  ;  he  must  devote  his  whole  attention  to  the  reorgan- 
ization of  his  army  and  prepare  for  the  resumption  of  hostili- 
ties. The  armistice  expires  at  the  end  of  this  month,  and 
war  will  then,  of  course,  break  out  once  more,  for  the 
French  emperor  will  not  keep  quiet  and  submit  before 
he  is  worsted  and  crushed  entirely ;  and  we  have  still  a 
great  deal  to  do,  a  great  deal  to  fight,  and  much  more  blood 
will  have  to  be  shed,  before  we  have  delivered  the  whole 
Southern  Tyrol,  Carinthia,  and  Carniola,  from  the  yoke 
of  the  tyrant.  In  order  to  do  so,  Speckbacher,  Wallner, 
and  I,  will  lead  the  brave  Tyrolese  against  the  enemy. 
Now,  if  the  country  is  to  be  governed  properly  while  we 
are  fighting,  a  man  in  whom  both  the  people  and  the  au- 
thorities have  confidence  must  be  at  the  head  of  the  govern- 
ment. You  are  this  man,  Andreas  Hofer.  The  people,  the 
authorities,  and  the  defenders  of  the  country,  pray  you  to 


374  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

consent  to  it ;  but  God  commands  you  through  my  mouth 
to  accept  the  position." 

"  Well,  then,"  exclaimed  Andreas,  enthusiastically,  lifting 
his  eyes  devoutly  to  heaven,  "  I  will  do  joyfully  what  God 
commands,  and  what  you  request  me  to  do.  I  will  take  upon 
myself  this  arduous  duty  ;  I  will  comply  with  your  wishes. 
You  say  it  is  necessary  for  the  good  of  the  country  and  the 
etnperor  that  there  should  be  a  lieutenant  of  the  emperor  ; 
and  if  there  is  no  other  and  better  man  than  I,  and  if  you 
have  confidence  in  me,  I  will  accept  the  position.  I  am  noth- 
ing but  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  God  my  Lord,  and  I  do 
what  He  wants  me  to  do,  even  though  it  should  cost  my  life. 
My  life  is  in  His  hand,  and  what  I  am,  and  have,  and  can  be, 
belongs  to  my  emperor  and  my  country.  I  will  be,  then,  the 
emperor's  lieutenant  in  the  Tyrol  until  the  emperor  issues  or- 
ders to  the  contrary,  or  until  peace  is  restored  to  the  country, 
and  the  emperor  is  able  again  to  take  charge  of  the  govern- 
ment. Let  us  pray  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  that  that  day 
may  soon  dawn  upon  us  ! " 

"  Long  live  the  emperor's  lieutenant !  "  shouted  the  whole 
assembly,  joyously. 

"  Now,"  exclaimed  the  mayor,  "  give  me  your  hand,  An- 
dreas Hofer,  lieutenant  of  the  emperor,  and  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  Tyrol.  We  will  conduct  you  in  solemn  proces- 
sion to  the  imperial  palace,  for  the  lieutenant  must  take  up  his 
residence  there." 

''Yes,  yes,  let  us  accompany  Andreas  Hofer  to  the  imperial 
palace,"  exclaimed  all,  in  joyful  excitement. 

"Well,  if  it  please  God.  I  will  take  up  my  residence  in  the 
imperial  palace,"  exclaimed  Andreas  Hofer,  solemnly,  giving 
his  hand  to  the  mayor  and  stepping  with  him  to  the  door  of 
the  ballroom. 

He  was  followed  by  the  Capuchin,  Joseph  Speckbacher, 
Anthony  Wallner.  the  other  commanders  of  the  Landsturm, 
and  the  municipal  authorities.  On  stepping  into  the  street, 
they  were  received  with  thundering  cheers  by  the  people  who 
thronged  the  street  and  the  neighboring  place  :  and  amid 
singing  and  deafening  acclamations,  and  the  ringing  of  all 
the  church-bells,  the  emperor's  lieutenant  and  commander-in- 


THE  FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST  AT  COMORN.  375 

chief  of  the  Tyrol,  Andreas  Hofer,  was  conducted  to  the  mag- 
nificent imperial  palace,  where  the  Sandwirth  was  to  take  up 
his  residence. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE  FIFTEENTH  OF  AUGUST  AT  COMORN. 

WHILE  the  people  of  Innspruck  set  no  hounds  to  their  re- 
joicings on  the  15th  of  August,  and  accompanied  Andreas  Ho- 
fer, the  emperor's  lieutenant,  amid  the  most  rapturous  mani- 
festations of  enthusiasm,  to  the  imperial  palace  ;  while  the 
Emperor  Napoleon  was  celebrating  the  15th  of  August,  his 
birthday,  by  a  great  parade  at  Schonbrunn,  and  the  bestowal 
of  orders  and  rewards  on  many  distinguished  persons,  the 
Emperor  Francis  was  at  the  fortress  of  Comorn.  Only  a  few 
of  his  faithful  adherents  had  followed  him  thither  ;  only  his 
servants  and  officers  surrounded  him  at  his  mournful  court 
there.  The  Empress  Ludovica  and  the  archduchesses  bad  al- 
ready repaired  to  Totis,  a  country-seat  of  Prince  Lichtenstein, 
in  Hungary,  whither  the  emperor  intended  to  follow  her  in 
the  course  of  a  few  days. 

"  I  should  set  out  this  very  day,"  he  said,  pacing  his  cabinet, 
to  his  confidential  agent  Hudelist,  the  Aulic  councillor,  "  but 
I  should  like  to  see  previously  Count  Bubna,  whom  I  have 
sent  to  Bonaparte." 

u  I  hope,  your  majesty,  lhat  the  count  will  yet  return  to- 
day," replied  Hudelist,  in  his  humble  bland  voice. 

"  God  grant  it  !  "  sighed  the  emperor.  "  It  is  very  tedious 
here,  and  I  hope  our  sojourn  at  Totis  will  not  be  so  mournful 
and  wearisome.  Prince  Lichtenstein  told  me  thrre  were  ex- 
cellent fishing-ponds  there,  and  he  added  that  he  had  caused 
to  be  built  a  laboratory  where  I  might  manufacture  sealing- 
wax.  I  think,  Hudelist,  we  shall  be  very  industrious  there, 
and  manufacture  new  and  beautiful  styles." 

"I  received  to-day  a  new  receipt  for  making  carmine  seal- 
ing wax,  perfumed  a  la  rose,"  said  Hudelist,  smiling. 

"Ah,  that  is  nice,"  exclaimed  the  emperor  ;  "  give  it  to  me 
-let  me  read  it." 


376  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

The  Aalic  councillor  drew  a  paper  from  his  bosom  and 
handed  it  with  a  low  bow  to  the  emperor.  Francis  took  it 
quickly,  and  fixed  his  eyes  smilingly  on  it. 

His  features,  however,  suddenly  became  very  gloomy, 
and  he  threw  the  paper  indignantly  on  the  table.  "  What 
do  you  give  me  this  for  ?  "  he  asked,  angrily.  "  In  speaking 
of  the  receipt,  I  had  forgotten  the  abominable  political 
situation  for  a  moment,  but  you  must  at  once  remind  me 
of  it." 

"My  God  ! "  faltered  out  Hudelist,  "  what  did  I  do,  then,  to 
excite  your  majesty's  indignation  ?  " 

The  emperor  took  the  paper  from  the  table  and  handed  it 
to  him.  "  See,"  he  said,  already  half  pacified,  "  is  that  a  receipt 
for  making  sealing-wax  ? " 

"  Good  heavens  ! ''  groaned  Hudelist,  in  dismay, "  I  made  a 
mistake.  In  place  of  the  receipt,  I  handed  to  your  majesty  the 
draft  of  the  proclamation  to  your  subjects,  which  your  ma- 
jesty ordered  me  to  write.  Oh,  I  humbly  beg  your  majesty's 
pardon  for  having  made  so  lamentable  a  blunder  ;  I — " 

"Well,  never  mind,"  interrupted  the  emperor;  "there  is 
no  harm  done.  You  handed  me  one  receipt,  in  place  of  an- 
other ;  and  it  is  true,  the  sealing-wax  receipt  may  remain  in 
your  pocket  until  we  arrive  at  Totis,  but  the  other  receipt  is 
needed  immediately,  for  it  is  destined  to  reduce  the  people  to 
submissiveness  and  tranquillity.  Well,  read  the  proclama- 
tion you  have  drawn  up." 

"  Your  majesty,  I  have  carried  out  carefully  the  orders  of 
your  majesty,  and  the  instructions  of  your  minister,  Count 
Metternich,  and  written  only  what  your  majesty  had  agreed 
upon  with  the  minister." 

"  Read  it,"  said  the  emperor,  taking  the  fly-flap  from  the 
table  ;  and,  while  he  was  slowly  gliding  along  the  walls,  and 
killing  now  and  then  a  fly,  Hudelist  read  as  follows  : 

"  To  my  people  and  my  army  !—  My  beloved  subjects,  and 
even  my  enemies  know  that,  in  entering  upon  the  present 
war,  I  was  induced  to  take  up  arms  neither  by  thirst  for  con- 
quest nor  by  mortified  personal  feelings. 

"  Self-preservation  and  independence,  a  peace  which  would 
be  compatible  with  the  honor  of  my  crown,  and  which  would 


THE  FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST  AT  COMORJf.  377 

give  security  and  tranquillity  to  my  people,  were  the  lofty  and 
only  objects  which  I  strove  to  attain. 

"  The  fickle  fortunes  of  war  have  not  fulfilled  my  expecta- 
tions ;  the  enemy  penetrated  into  the  heart  of  my  states,  and 
exposed  them  to  the  devastations  of  a  war  carried  on  with  the 
most  relentless  exasperation  and  barbarity  ;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  he  became  acquainted  with  the  patriotic  spirit  of  my  peo- 
ple and  the  bravery  of  my  army. 

u  This  experience,  which  he  purchased  after  fearful  blood- 
shed, and  my  unvarying  solicitude  for  the  happiness  of  my 
subjects,  brought  about  mutual  advances  for  peace  negotia- 
tions. My  plenipotentiaries  met  with  those  of  the  French 
emperor. 

"  I  am  desirous  of  concluding  an  honorable  peace,  the 
terms  of  which  offer  the  possibility  and  prospect  of  its  dura- 
tion. The  bravery  of  my  army,  its  unwavering  courage,  its 
ardent  patriotism,  its  emphatic  wish  not  to  lay  down  its  arms 
prior  to  the  conclusion  of  an  honorable  peace,  prevent  me  from 
submitting  to  terms  which  would  shake  the  foundations  of 
the  empire,  and  dishonor  us  after  such  great  and  generous 
sacrifices  and  so  much  bloodshed. 

''  The  noble  spirit  animating  the  army  is  a  sufficient  guar- 
anty that,  if  the  enemy  should  after  all  mistake  our  intentions 
and  strength,  we  shall  certainly  obtain  the  reward  of  con- 
stancy in  the  end."* 

"  There,"  cried  the  emperor  at  this  moment,  striking  with 
the  fly-flap  at  the  wall,  "  that  will  at  length  put  an  end  to  your 
humming,  with  which  you  have  dinned  my  ears  for  a  quarter 
of  an  hour.  Come  here,  Hudelist,  and  look  at  this  bluebottle 
fly.  The  whole  tune  while  you  were  reading  I  was  chasing  it, 
and  have  only  just  got  it.  Did  you  ever  see  so  large  a  fly  ? " 

"  It  is  a  very  large  fly  indeed,"  said  Hudelist,  with  a  grin. 

"  I  do  not  believe  that  it  is  a  bluebottle  fly,"  exclaimed  the 
emperor.  "  It  is  Bonaparte,  who  has  transformed  himself 
into  a  bluebottle  fly,  as  Jove  once  transformed  himself  into  an 
ox  ;  and  he  came  hither  to  annoy  me  and  din  my  ears  until  I 
am  quite  sick.  Yes,  yes,  Hudelist,  believe  me,  Bonaparte  is  a 
huge  bluebottle  fly,  which  drives  all  Europe  mad.  Ah,  would 

*  See  Hormayr's  "  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  440. 
20 


378  ANDREAS    HOFER. 

I  could  treat  him  as  I  treat  this  abominable  bluebottle  fly  now, 
and  crush  him  under  my  foot  ! " 

And  the  emperor  crushed  the  writhing  insect  under  his 
heel. 

'"  Your  majesty  will  surely  enjoy  one  day  the  pleasure  of 
crushing  Bonaparte,  the  huge  bluebottle  fly,  under  your  heel," 
said  Hudelist.  "  Only  your  majesty  must  be  gracious  enough 
to  have  patience,  and  not  now  try  to  attain  what  you  will 
surely  accomplish  at  a  later  time.  At  this  juncture  Bonaparte 
is  strong  and  superior  to  us  ;  but  let  us  wait  until  there  is  a 
moment  when  he  is  weak  ;  your  majesty  will  profit  by  this 
moment,  and  crush  him." 

"  See,  see  how  kind  you  are  ! "  exclaimed  the  emperor,  with 
a  sardonic  smile  ;  "  you  are  so  obliging  as  to  give  me  advice 
which  I  did  not  ask  for.  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Aulic  Councillor, 
but  I  believe  it  will  be  better  for  me  to  follow  my  own  under- 
standing. As  God  Almighty  has  placed  me  at  the  head  of 
Austria  and  made  me  emperor.  He  must  confide  in  my  ability 
to  discharge  the  duties  of  my  imperial  office.  Well,  you  need 
not  look  so  dismayed  ;  I  know  that  your  intentions  are  good, 
and  I  confide  in  you." 

"  Your  majesty  knows  that  I  am  ready  to  die  for  you,  and 
that  I  should  shed  my  blood  for  you  unhesitatingly  and  joy- 
ously," exclaimed  Hudelist,  enthusiastically.  "  It  was,  there- 
fore, only  my  intense  love  and  veneration  which  made  me 
venture  to  communicate  my  views  freely  and  openly  to  your 
majesty  ;  but  I  shall  never  do  so  again,  for  I  was  unfortunate 
enough  to  displease  your  majesty  thereby.'' 

"  On  the  contrary,  you  shall  always  do  so,  you  shall  always 
tell  me  your  opinion  freely  and  openly,"  cried  the  emperor, 
vehemently.  "You  shall  tell  me  all  that  you  believe,  all  that 
you  know,  and  all  that  you  hear  and  learn  from  others.  Your 
ears,  eyes,  and  tongue,  shall  belong  to  me.?' 

"  And  my  heart,  above  all  things,  belongs  to  my  adored  em- 
peror, your  majesty." 

"Have  you  really  got  a  heart  ? "  asked  the  emperor,  smil- 
ing. "  I  do  not  believe  it,  Hudelist  ;  you  are  a  clever,  saga- 
cious man,  but  you  had  better  say  nothing  about  your  heart  for 
I  think  you  have  used  it  up  in  your  countless  love-affairs. 


THE  FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGl'ST   AT   COMORN.  379 

Moreover,  I  do  not  care  for  it.  I  do  not  think  a  great  deal  of 
men  who  have  too  much  heart,  and  who  always  allow  their 
rash  heart  to  influence  their  actions.  My  distinguished 
brother,  the  Archduke  John,  for  instance,  has  this  fault  and 
weakness  ;  his  heart  frequently  runs  away  with  his  head,  and 
his  legs  finally  run  after  it." 

"  But  he  is  a  very  brave  general,''  said  Hudelist,  gently  ; 
"  a  courageous  captain,  and  a  most  defiant  and  foolhardy  ene- 
my of  France.  How  unwavering  were  the  courage  and  in- 
trepidity with  which  he  met  the  Viceroy  of  Italy  everywhere, 
and  attacked  him,  even  though  he  knew  beforehand  that  he 
would  be  unable  to  worst  the  superior  enemy  !  How  great 
was  the  magnanimity  with  which  he  risked  all,  and  did  not 
shrink  from  sacrificing  the  lives  of  thousands  in  attempting 
to  carry  out  an  insignificant  coup  against  the  enemy  !  And 
how  sublime  was  the  heroism  with  which  he  has  often  dared 
to  brave  the  orders  of  the  commander-in-chief  and  pursue  his 
own  way,  on  finding  that  these  orders  were  dangerous  and 
pernicious  to  his  army  !  " 

"  Yes,"  cried  the  emperor,  bursting  into  scornful  laughter, 
"  it  was  owing  to  this  disobedience  and  stubbornness  that  we 
lost  the  battle  of  Wagram.  If  the  Archduke  John  had  been 
more  obedient,  and  arrived  with  his  troops  in  time,  we  should 
have  gained  the  battle,  I  should  not  be  in  this  miserable  hole, 
and  it  would  not  be  necessary  for  me  to  sue  Bonaparte  so 
humbly  and  contritely  for  generous  terms  of  peace.  The 
good  heart  of  my  distinguished  brother  subjected  me  to  this 
unpleasant  necessity,  and  I  shall  one  day  manifest  to  him  my 
gratitude  for  it." 

"  Oh,  your  majesty,"  said  Hudelist,  in  his  blandest  voice, 
"if  the  archduke  should  have  unwittingly  committed  a  blun- 
der on  this  occasion,  he  has  made  a  thousand  amends  for  it. 
Your  majesty  should  bear  in  mind  all  that  the  noble  Arch- 
duke John  accomplished  in  the  Tyrol.  Your  majesty  owes  it 
only  to  the  archduke  that  the  Tyrol  rose  as  one  man,  that  it 
fought,  and  is  fighting  still,  with  the  utmost  heroism.  He  ar- 
ranged it  all  ;  he  organized  a  conspiracy  in  the  Tyrol  while 
the  country  was  yet  under  the  Bavarian  yoke — a  vast,  gigantic 
conspiracy  ;  owing  to  his  secret  instigation,  the  revolution 


380  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

broke  out  simultaneously  in  all  parts  of  the  Tyrol,  and  it  is 
the  name  of  the  Archduke  John  which  fills  this  people  of 
heroes  with  the  sublime  courage  which  it  displays  in  the  most 
murderous  battles." 

"  It  is  bad  enough  that  it  is  so,"  exclaimed  the  emperor, 
striding  uneasily  up  and  down  the  room.  "The  Archduke 
John  sowed  the  seeds  of  pernicious  weeds,  and  played  a  very 
dangerous  game." 

"  It  is  true,  it  is  dangerous  to  preach  rebellion  to  a  people, 
and  teach  it  how  to  rise  in  insurrection,"  said  Hudelist, 
thoughtfully.  "  And  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  insurrection 
of  the  Tyrolese  sets  a  deplorable  example  in  some  respects.  It 
is  true,  the  archduke  organized  the  conspiracy  only  for  the 
good  of  Austria  and  her  emperor  ;  but  what  the  Tyrolese  are 
doing  to-day  for  the  emperor,  they  might  another  time  do 
against  him  ;  and  if  the  archduke  were  not  so  exceedingly 
loyal  and  entirely  above  suspicion,  one  might  think  he  had 
stirred  up  the  insurrection  for  his  own  purposes  and  benefit. 
At  all  events,  it  only  depends  on  him  to  have  himself  pro- 
claimed King  of  the  Tyrol,  for  his  influence  is  all-powerful  in 
that  province." 

The  emperor  uttered  a  cry  of  rage.  His  eyes  shot  fire,  his 
lips  quivered  and  muttered  incoherent  threats,  his  cheeks  had 
turned  livid,  and  he  paced  his  room  in  indescribable  agitation. 
Then,  as  if  to  give  vent  to  the  rage  filling  his  breast,  he  took 
up  the  fly-flap  and  struck  violently  at  the  flies  seated  here  and 
there  on  the  wall. 

Hudelist  followed  his  every  motion  wtth  his  cold,  stealthy 
eyes,  and  an  expression  of  scorn  and  malicious  joy  illumi- 
nated his  sombre  face  for  a  moment. 

"It  was  effectual,"  he  murmured  to  himself  ;  "jealousy 
and  suspicion  have  struck  roots  in  his  heart,  and  we  shall  suc- 
ceed in  neutralizing  the  influence  of  the  archduke,  who  con- 
stantly preaches  war,  and  war  at  any  cost." 

Suddenly  the  emperor  cast  his  fly-flap  aside,  and  turned 
to  Hudelist,  whose  face  had  quickly  resumed  its  quiet,  humble, 
and  impenetrable  expression. 

"  Hudelist,"  said  the  emperor,  in  a  low  and  mysterious  tone, 
M  always  tell  me  all  you  know  about  the  archduke,  and  do  not 


THji  FIFTEENTH  OF  AUGUST  AT   COMORN.  381 

conceal  any  thing  from  me.  I  must  know  all,  and  count  upon 
your  sincerity  and  talent  of  observation." 

"  Your  majesty,"  cried  Hudelist,  ardently,  "  I  swear  that  I 
will  faithfully  carry  out  the  orders  of  my  emperor.  Not  a 
word,  not  a  step,  not  a  manifestation  of  public  opinion  shall 
be  concealed  from  your  majesty  ;  for,  as  your  majesty  was 
gracious  enough  to  observe,  my  ears,  eyes,  and  tongue,  belong 
to  your  majesty." 

At  this  moment  the  door  of  the  anteroom  opened,  and  a 
footman  announced  Count  Bubna. 

"  Let  him  come  in,"  said  the  emperor  ;  and  he  dismissed, 
with  a  quick  wave  of  his  hand,  Hudelist,  who,  bowing  respect- 
fully, and  walking  backward,  left  the  emperor's  cabinet  at  the 
same  moment  that  Count  Bubna  appeared  on  the  threshold  of 
the  opposite  door. 

The  emperor  hastened  to  meet  him.  "  Now  speak,  count ! " 
he  exclaimed,  eagerly  ;  "  did  you  see  Bonaparte  ?  Did  he  ad- 
mit you  ? " 

"Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  Count  Bubna,  with  gloomy 
gravity, "  the  Emperor  Napoleon  did  admit  me.  I  had  a  long 
interview  with  him." 

The  emperor  nodded  his  head.  "  Did  he  offer  you  terms  of 
peace  ? " 

u  He  did,  but  I  cannot  conceal  from  your  majesty  that  the 
Emperor  Napoleon  will  impose  very  harsh  and  oppressive 
conditions.  He  is  exceedingly  irritated,  and  the  heroic  resist- 
ance which  our  army  offered  to  him,  our  brilliant  victory  at 
Aspern,  and  the  fact  that  his  victory  at  Wagram  was  after  all 
little  better  than  a  drawn  battle,  seem  to  have  exasperated  him 
in  the  extreme.  For  this  reason  he  is  resolved  to  impose  rig- 
orous terms  of  peace  on  us,  because,  if  Austria  should  submit 
to  them,  she  would  thereby  admit  that  the  Emperor  of  the 
French  gained  a  great  victory  at  Wagram." 

"  Well,  I  am  glad  that  he  is  irritated,"  said  the  emperor, 
shrugging  his  shoulders  ;  "  so  am  I,  and  I  shall  not  accept  any 
peace  which  would  impose  humiliating  terms  on  Austria. 
That  is  what  I  have  promised  this  very  day  to  my  people  in 
the  proclamation  lying  on  the  table  yonder  ;  and  I  owe  it, 
moreover,  to  myself.  Either  an  honorable  peace,  or  a  deci- 


382  ANDREAS  UOFER. 

sion  by  the  fortune  of  war.  If  need  be,  I  will  call  upon  my 
whole  people  to  take  up  arms  ;  I  will  place  myself  at  the  head 
of  this  grand  army,  and  either  defeat  Bonaparte,  or  succumb 
honorably." 

"  Ah,  if  your  people  could  see  your  majesty  in  your  gener- 
ous excitement,  with  how  much  enthusiasm  they  would  follow 
their  emperor  and  expel  the  enemy  !"  exclaimed  Count  Bubna. 
"  And  yet  even  the  most  intense  enthusiasm  might  fail,  for 
circumstances  are  more  powerful  than  your  majesty's  heroism. 
The  Emperor  Napoleon  is  determined  to  follow  up  his  success 
to  its  most  extreme  consequences,  and  we  are  at  this  juncture 
unable  to  cope  with  him  in  the  long  run.  All  the  gaps  in  his 
army  have  been  filled  up,  and  his  soldiers  are  flushed  with 
victory,  and  eager  to  meet  our  own  forces.  Our  army  is 
greatly  weakened,  disorganized,  and  disheartened  ;  and,  more- 
over, it  has  no  commander-in-chief,  inasmuch  as  your  majesty 
has  accepted  the  resignation  of  the  generalissimo.  To  con- 
tinue the  war  would  be  equivalent  to  endangering  the  exist- 
ence of  Austria  and  the  imperial  dynasty  itself." 

"  Ah,  you  mean  that  Bonaparte  would  be  pleased  to  say  of 
my  dynasty  what  he  said  of  Naples  and  Spain  :  '  The  Bourbons 
have  ceased  to  reign'  ? '' 

"  Your  majesty,  although  the  Emperor  Napoleon  did  not 
dare  to  use  such  unmeasured  language,  he  did  not  fail  to  hint 
at  such  an  event.  Having  admitted  me  after  repeated  refusals 
and  hearing  my  first  words,  '  My  august  master,  the  Emperor1 
of  Austria,'  the  Emperor  Napoleon  interrupted  me,  and  cried 
vehemently,  '  There  is  no  longer  an  Emperor  of  Austria,  buf 
only  a  Prince  of  Lorraine  ! ' "' 

"  Ah,  indeed,  he  permits  me  at  least  to  retain  the  title  of  a 
Prince  of  Lorraine  !  And  what  else  did  he  say  ?  Do  not  con- 
ceal any  thing  from  mo,  Count  Bubna,  but  bear  in  mind  that 
I  must  know  all,  in  order  to  take  my  resolutions  accord- 
ingly." 

44  Your  majesty,  if  I  did  not  "bear  this  in  mind,  I  should 
never  venture  to  repeat  what  the  Emperor  Napoleon  permitted 
himself  to  say  to  me.  He  seemed  to  speak  quite  unreservedly 
in  my  presence  ;  lying  on  the  floor  by  the  side  of  his  maps,  or 
sitting  on  the  table  and  placing  his  feet  on  a  chair,  or  stand- 


THE   FIFTEENTH   OF   AUGUST   AT   COMORN.  383 

ing  before  me  with  folded  arms,  he  spoke  to  me  with  a  frank- 
ness which  almost  frightened  me,  and  which  at  times  seemed 
to  me  quite  involuntary." 

"  There  you  were  mistaken,  at  all  events,"  said  Francis, 
shrugging  his  shoulders.  "  Bonaparte  never  does  any  thing 
unintentionally,  and  not  a  word  escapes  him  but  what  he 
wants  to  utter.  I  know  him  better  than  you  all,  though  I 
have  seen  him  only  once  in  my  life;  and  God  knows  that, 
after  my  interview  with  him  subsequent  to  the  battle  of  Aus- 
terlitz,  my  heart  was  filled  with  intense  hatred  against  him. 
Now,  my  heart  is  more  constant  in  hatred  than  in  love  ;  and 
if  it  is  said  that  love  makes  us  blind,  hatred,  on  the  other 
hand,  renders  us  keen-sighted,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  I 
am  able  to  see  through  Bonaparte  and  know  him  better  than 
you  all.  Tell  me,  therefore,  what  he  said  so  frankly  to  you, 
and  I  shall  know  what  to  think  of  his  statements  which  seem 
to  you  unintentional  expressions  of  his  real  sentiments. 
What  does  he  think  of  the  armistice  ?  Is  he  really  intent  on 
drawing  the  sword  once  more,  or  is  he  inclined  to  conclude 
peace  ? " 

''  Inclined,  your  majesty,  is  not  the  right  word.  He  in- 
tends to  grant  peace  to  your  majesty  in  return  for  heavy  sac- 
rifices. Your  majesty  will  have  to  sacrifice  much  territory, 
many  fortresses,  and  finally  a  great  deal  of  money,  in  order  to 
obtain  peace." 

"  And  what  if  I  should  not  do  so  ?"  cried  Francis,  impetu- 
ously. "  What  if  I  should  prefer  to  resume  hostilities  and  die 
honorably  on  the  ruins  of  my  empire  rather  than  purchase  a 
dishonorable  peace  ?  What  would  he  say  then  ? " 

"  Then  he  would  resume  hostilities  with  his  strong  and  en- 
thusiastic army  ;  he  would,  as  he  told  me  more  than  once  in 
his  thundering  voice,  be  inexorable,  and  no  considerations  of 
generosity  would  prevent  him  from  wreaking  vengeance  on 
his  personal  enemy  ;  for  as  such  he  would  regard  your  majes- 
ty in  that  event." 

"  But  the  people  of  Nuremberg  do  not  hang  anyone  before 
they  have  got  him,"  said  the  emperor,  calmly.  ''Bonaparte 
has  not  got  me  yet,  and  I  think  he  will  not  catch  me  soon. 
Despite  all  his  braggadocio,  he  will  be  obliged  to  allow  the  con 


384  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

tinued  existence  of  the  Austrian  Empire,  for  all  Europe  would 
rise  against  him  ;  even  Russia  herself  would  become  his  en» 
emy,  and  draw  the  sword  against  him,  if  he  should  be  daring 
enough  to  appropriate  the  Austrian  Empire  and  swallow  it  as 
he  swallowed  Italy." 

"  Your  majesty,  I  also  do  not  believe  that  he  would  menace 
Austria  in  case  he  should  be  driven  again  to  hostilities  ;  he 
threatens  only  the  Emperor  of  Austria." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Bubna  ?  "  asked  the  emperor,  vehe- 
mently. 

"  Your  majesty,"  said  Count  Bubna,  in  a  low,  timid  voice, 
"  the  Emperor  Napoleon  thinks  you  are  his  personal  and  in- 
exorable enemy,  and  he  believes  if  a  monarch  more  favorable 
to  him  were  seated  on  the  throne  of  Austria,  he  would  not 
only  soon  conclude  peace  with  Austria,  but  also  have  a  faithful 
ally  in  her  hereafter.  If  hostilities  should  be  resumed,  and  if 
the  fortune  of  war  should  decide  in  favor  of  the  Emperor 
Napoleon — " 

"  Proceed,  proceed,"  cried  the  emperor,  impatiently,  when 
Count  Bubna  hesitated  ;  "  I  must  know  all,  and  am  not  so 
cowardly  as  to  be  frightened  by  mere  words." 

''  But  I,  your  majesty,  am  afraid  of  uttering  words  whose 
meaning  fills  me  with  loathing  and  horror — words  which, 
thank  God,  will  never  become  deeds  ! " 

"  No  preamble,  count,  but  speak  out,"  cried  the  emperor, 
impatiently.  "  What  would  Bonaparte  do  in  case  he  should 
defeat  us  again  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  he  would  place  another  emperor  on  the 
Austrian  throne." 

"  Ah,  always  the  same  old  strain,"  exclaimed  the  emperor, 
contemptuously.  "  One  of  his  brothers  or  brothers-in-law  is 
to  become  Emperor  of  Austria,  I  suppose  ?  'The  Hapsburg 
dynasty  has  ceased  to  reign ' — that  is  it.  is  it  not  ? " 

"No,  another  prince  of  the  Hapsburg  dynasty  is  to  be 
placed  on  the  throne,  one  of  the  brothers  of  the  Emperor 
Francis." 

"  Ah,  ah  !  he  thinks  of  my  brothers,"  murmured  the  em- 
peror, whose  cheeks  turned  very  pale.  "  Well,  which  of  my 
brothers  did  he  designate  as  future  Emperor  of  Austria  ? " 


THE   FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST   AT   COMORN.  335 

"  He  thought  it  would  be  best  for  France  if  the  throne  were 
ceded  to  the  Grand-duke  of  Wiirtzburg,  the  Archduke  Ferdi- 
nand. He  said  he  had  had  confidence  in  the  grand-duke  ever 
since  he  had  been  in  Tuscany,  and  he  believed  that  the  grand- 
duke  was  likewise  friendly  to  him.  He  would  make  him  Em- 
peror of  Austria,  and  add  the  grand  duchy  of  Wiirtzburg  to 
the  kingdom  of  Bavaria." 

"And  the  Tyrol?"  asked  the  Emperor  Francis.  "Will 
Bonaparte,  in  his  liberality,  give  that  also  to  Bavaria,  or  will 
he  leave  it  to  my  brother  Ferdinand,  the  future  Emperor  of 
Austria  ? " 

"  No,  your  majesty.  The  Emperor  Napoleon  seems  to  have 
entirely  new  and  rather  singular  plans  in  regard  to  the  Tyrol. 
According  to  these  plans,  Bavaria  is  not  to  keep  it,  for  Napo- 
leon said  angrily  that  Bavaria  had  not  at  all  known  how  to 
deal  with  the  simple  and  honest  Tyrolese.  He  added  that  pro- 
found tranquillity  should  reign  in  the  mountains  ;  hence,  he 
could  not  restore  the  Tyrol  to  Bavaria,  against  which  the  Tyr- 
olese were  animated  by  intense  hatred.  As  the  Tyrolese  had 
manifested  their  attachment  and  fidelity  to  Austria  in  so  ad- 
mirable a  manner,  it  would  be  best  to  make  the  Tyrol  an  in- 
dependent principality,  and  give  it  also  to  one  of  the  arch- 
dukes, the  brothers  of  the  emperor."  * 

"  By  the  Eternal  !  my  brothers  seem  to  be  the  special  fa- 
vorites of  the  Emperor  Napoleon,''  exclaimed  the  emperor. 
"  Which  of  the  archdukes  is  to  receive  the  new  principality  of 
the  Tyrol  at  Bonaparte's  hands  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  he  said  the  Tyrol  should  be  given  to 
that  archduke  for  whom  the  Tyrolese  had  always  mani- 
fested the  greatest  love  and  enthusiasm,  the  Archduke 
John." 

"  John  ! "  cried  the  emperor,  giving  a  start ;  "  John  is  to 
become  sovereign  of  the  Tyrol  ?  Ah,  my  sagacious  and 
learned  brother  has  speculated  correctly,  then  !  He  first  stirred 
up  a  rebellion  in  the  Tyrol  in  the  shrewdest  manner,  and 
he  will  now  quiet  the  beloved  Tyrol,  by  becoming  its  sovereign 
and  ruler." 

"  Your  majesty,"  exclaimed  the  count,  in  dismay,  "  it  is  not 

*  Napoleon's  own  words. — See  "  Lebensbilder,"  vol.  v.,  p.  217. 


386  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

the  noble  Archduke  John  who  conceived  such  plans,  but  the 
Emperor  Napoleon." 

"  He  seems  at  least  to  keep  up  a  touching  understanding 
with  my  brothers.  I  should  like  to  know  whether  his  gener- 
osity will  not  provide  crowns  and  states  for  the  other  arch- 
dukes too.  And  then,  you  have  not  told  me  yet  what  he  in- 
tends to  do  with  me  after  hurling  me  from  the  throne.  Does 
he  want  to  keep  me  confined  like  the  King  of  Spain  and  Pope 
Pius,  or  will  he  permit  me  to  live  as  a  refugee  in  foreign  lands, 
like  the  King  of  Naples  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  Napoleon  only  dreamed  of  the  future,  and 
dreams  never  are  logical  and  consistent.  I  myself  listened  to 
his  dreams  in  silence,  and  they  amused  me  as  the  merry  fairy- 
stories  of  my  childhood  did — fairy-stories  invented  only  for 
the  purpose  of  making  us  laugh." 

"  Yes,  let  us  laugh  at  them,"  exclaimed  the  emperor,  burst- 
ing into  loud  laughter,  which,  however,  sounded  so  unnatural 
that  Count  Bubua  did  not  join  in  it.  "And  now,"  said  the 
emperor,  whose  face  suddenly  became  very  gloomy.  "  having 
spoken  enough  about  Bonaparte's  funny  dreams,  let  us  turn 
to  more  serious  matters.  What  are  the  terms  on  which  the 
Emperor  of  the  French  would  make  peace  with  me  ?  What 
does  he  demand  ? " 

"Your  majesty,  his  demands  are  so  exorbitant  that  I 
scarcely  dare  to  repeat  them." 

"Never  mind,"  said  the  emperor,  dryly.  "If  I  could  lis- 
ten quietly  to  the  plan  regarding  my  brothers,  I  believe  I  shall 
be  able  to  bear  the  rest.  Speak,  therefore.  What  are  the 
terms  on  which  Napoleon  would  conclude  peace  ? " 

"  He  demands  the  cession  of  all  the  provinces  actually  oc- 
cupied by  the  French  armies  ;  the  surrender  of  the  fortresses 
still  occupied  by  our  troops  in  these  provinces,  with  their 
magazines,  arsenals,  stores,  and  supplies  :  the  surrender  of  the 
fortresses  of  Gratz  and  Brunn  ;  and  large  contributions  in 
kind,  to  be  collected  by  M.  Daru,  the  French  intendant-gen- 
eral." 

"  He  intends  to  spoliate  Austria  as  mercilessly  as  he  for- 
merly plundered  Hamburg  and  the  whole  of  Northern  Ger- 
many," said  the  emperor,  shrugging  his  shoulders.  "And 


THE  FIFTEENTH   OF  AUGUST   AT  COMORN.  387 

does  not  Bonaparte  demand  any  money  this  time  ?  Will  he 
content  himself  with  provinces,  fortresses,  and  contributions 
in  kind  ?  Will  he  extort  no  money  from  us  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  he  demands  an  enormous  sum.  He  de- 
mands the  immediate  payment  of  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  millions  of  francs."  * 

"  Well,  well,  he  will  take  less  than  that,"  exclaimed  the 
emperor. 

"  Then  your  majesty  will  graciously  negotiate  with  him  on 
his  terms  of  peace?"  asked  Count  Bubna,  joyously.  ''Bear- 
ing in  mind  only  the  welfare  of  your  monarchy,  you  will  not 
reject  his  rigorous  demands  entirely,  and  not  allow  the  armis- 
tice to  lead  to  a  resumption  of  hostilities,  which,  under  the 
present  circumstances,  could  not  but  involve  Austria  in  utter 
ruin  ? " 

"  I  shall  think  of  it,"  said  the  emperor  ;  "  at  all  events,  I 
have  already  shown  my  desire  for  peace  by  sending  my  min- 
isters, Counts  Stadion  and  Metternich,  to  Altenburg,  to  nego- 
tiate there  with  Bonaparte's  minister  Champagny.  I  shall 
not  recall  them,  but  allow  them  to  continue  the  negotiations. 
They  are  skilled  diplomatists,  and  men  of  great  sagacity.  The 
labors  of  diplomatists  generally  make  slow  headway  ;  hence, 
it  will  be  good  for  us  to  lend  them  a  little  secret  assistance. 
While  the  plenipotentiaries  are  negotiating  publicly  at  Alten- 
burg in  Hungary,  I  will  secretly  begin  to  negotiate  with  the 
emperor  himself  ;  and  you,  Count  Bubna,  shall  be  my  agent 
for  this  purpose." 

"  Your  majesty,"  exclaimed  Count  Bubna,  in  a  tone  of  sur- 
prise rather  than  joy,  "  your  majesty  reposes  in  me  so  much 
confidence — " 

"  Which,  I  hope,  you  will  appreciate,  and  strive  to  render 
yourself  worthy  of,"  interrupted  the  emperor.  "  I  count  on 
your  skill,  your  zeal,  and,  above  all,  your  discretion.  You 
will  take  new  proposals  of  peace  to-morrow,  on  my  part,  to 
the  headquarters  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  at  Schonbrunn. 
But  no  one  must  learn  of  your  mission,  and,  least  of  all,  my 
two  ministers  who  are  negotiating  at  Altenburg." 

"  Sire,  I  shall  keep  as  silent  as  the  grave/ 

*  See  Schloaser's  "  History  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,"  voL  viii.,  p.  118. 


388  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  A  bad  comparison,  Bubna,  for  new  life  is  to  blossom  for 
Austria  from  your  secret  negotiations.  Well,  go  now  and 
repose  ;  we  will  afterward  confer  again  in  regard  to  tbis  mat- 
ter, and  I  will  explain  my  views  to  you.  But  say,  Bubna,  do 
you  really  think  tbat  Bonaparte  was  in  earnest  about  bis 
dreams,  and  tbat,  in  case  be  sbould  defeat  us  again,  be  would 
seriously  tbink  of  carrying  into  effect  bis  plans  regarding  tbe 
Archdukes  Ferdinand  and  John  ? " 

"I  am  afraid,  your  majesty,  he  was  in  earnest." 

"  The  Emperor  Napoleon,  then,  hates  me  intensely  ? ' " 

"  He  believes  that  your  majesty  hates  him  intensely.  He 
told  me  once  frankly  that  only  your  majesty's  personal  hatred 
had  brought  about  this  war,  and  that  he  was  afraid  this  hatred 
would  frustrate  all  peace  negotiations.  I  ventured  to  contradict 
him,  but  he  shook  bis  bead  vehemently  and  exclaimed,  '  The 
Emperor  Francis  hates  me  so  intensely,  that  I  believe  he 
would  lose  his  crown  and  empire  sooner  than  ally  himself 
with  me  in  a  cordial  manner,  even  though  he  should  derive 
the  greatest  advantages  therefrom.  Do  you  think,  for  in- 
stance, that  tbe  Emperor  Francis,  if  I  wished  to  become  bis 
son-in-law,  would  give  me  the  hand  of  his  daughter,  even 
though  I  sbould  relinquish  half  the  war  contribution,  and  re- 
store to  him  all  tbe  provinces  occupied  by  my  armies  ?  " 

u  What  ?  Did  Napoleon  really  say  that  ? "  asked  the  em- 
peror, with  unusual,  almost  joyful  vivacity.  "  But,"  he  added, 
gloomily,  "  tbis  is  nothing  but  one  of  Napoleon's  dreams.  He 
bas  a  wife,  and  the  Empress  Josephine  is  so  young  and  gay 
yet  that  she  does  not  think  of  dying.'' 

"  But  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  I  have  been  told,  thinks  a 
great  deal  of  getting  a  divorce  from  her." 

"  Tbe  pope,  whom  he  keeps  imprisoned,  will  never  grant  it 
to  him,"  exclaimed  the  emperor. 

"I  think  he  will  not  even  apply  to  him  for  it,  your  majesty. 
The  Emperor  Napoleon  never  had  his  union  with  tbe  Empress 
Josephine  consecrated  by  the  Church,  and  the  dissolution  of  a 
civil  marriage  does  not  require  the  pope's  consent.  The  em- 
peror can  dissolve  it  by  virtue  of  his  own  authority." 

"That  is  a  very  convenient  arrangement  for  M.  Bona- 
parte," said  Francis,  smiling.  "  Well,  go  now,  count,  and  re' 


THE   FIFTEENTH  OF  AUGUST  AT  COMORN.  389 

pose.  I  am  very  content  with  your  services,  and  I  think  I 
shall  be  so  hereafter  also.  Adieu.  I  shall  send  for  you 
again." 

He  nodded  kindly  to  the  count,  and  stood  still  smilingly  at 
his  writing-table  in  the  middle  of  the  cabinet,  until  the  door 
of  the  anteroom  closed  behind  Count  Bubna.  But  thereupon 
his  face  assumed  a  gloomy,  bitter  expression,  and  he  lifted  up 
his  clinched  fist  with  a  menacing  gesture. 

"  My  brothers  ! "  he  cried,  in  an  angry  voice  ;  "  always  my 
brothers  !  They  are  always  eager  to  push  me  aside.  I  am  al- 
ways to  be  kept  in  the  shade,  that  their  light  may  shine  more 
brightly.  Ah,  we  shall  see  who  is  Emperor  of  Austria,  and  to 
whom  the  Tyrol  belongs  ;  we  shall  see  who  is  the  master, 
and  who  has  to  obey.  As  yet  I  am  emperor,  as  yet  /  have 
to  decide  on  war  and  peace.  And  I  will  decide.  I  will 
humiliate  them  and  compel  them  to  be  obedient,  these  boast- 
ful archdukes,  who  always  preach  war  and  are  worsted  in 
every  battle  !  Oh,  they  are  stirring  up  rebellion,  and  stretch- 
ing out  their  hands  for  my  property  !  But  one  stroke  of 
my  pen  will  shatter  their  crowns,  stifle  their  rebellion,  and 
reduce  them  to  submissiveness.  I  will  make  peace  with 
Napoleon,  and  the  seditious  Tyrol  shall  be  quieted  without 
being  bestowed  upon  the  Archduke  John.  I  would  rather 
have  it  restored  to  Bavaria  than  that  it  should  be  con- 
ferred on  my  brother.  That  would  be  a  just  retribution  for 
the  seditious  peasants  ;  they  have  set  a  bad  example,  and 
should  be  punished  for  it.  I  do  not  want  any  conspirators 
among  my  subjects.  Let  Bavaria  see  how  she  will  get  along 
with  the  rebellious  Tyrolese  !  I  shall  withdraw  my  hand 
from  them.  I  want  peace.  I  will  remain  Emperor  of  Aus- 
tria despite  all  my  brothers  ! " 


390  ANDREAS   IIOFER. 

CHAPTER   XXXV. 

A  DAY  OP  THE  EMPEROR'S  LIEUTENANT. 

THE  imperial  palace  at  Innspruck  was  still  the  residence  of 
Sandwirth  Andreas  Hofer,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol, 
and  lieutenant  of  the  Emperor  Francis.  He  had  lived  there 
since  the  15th  of  August ;  but  as  simply,  quietly,  and  modestly 
as  he  had  lived  when  he  was  a  horse-dealer  and  innkeeper,  so 
he  lived  now  when  he  was  ruler  of  the  Tyrol,  and  the  emperor's 
lieutenant.  Instead  of  occupying-  the  large  state  apartments 
of  the  imperial  palace,  as  his  friends  had  often  asked  him  to  do, 
Andreas  had  selected  the  plainest  and  humblest  rooms  for  his 
quarters,  and  his  style  of  living  was  as  simple  and  modest  as 
his  dwelling-place.  Vainly  his  suite  tried  to  persuade  him  to 
hold  levees  and  receive  guests  at  his  festive  table.  Andreas 
rejected  all  such  suggestions  with  proud  and  withal  humble 
indignation. 

u  Do  you  think  I  took  this  arduous  task  upon  myself  to 
play  the  aristocratic  gentleman,  and  revel  in  luxury  ? "  he  re- 
plied to  those  who  asked  him  to  adopt  such  a  course.  "  I  did 
not  become  the  emperor's  lieutenant  to  display  vain  and  empty 
splendor,  but  to  serve  my  dear  Tyrol  and  preserve  it  to  tbe 
emperor.  I  am  only  a  simple  peasant,  and  do  not  want  to 
live  like  a  prince.  I  am  accustomed  to  have  bread,  butter,  and 
cheese  for  breakfast,  and  I  do  not  know  why  I  should  change 
this  now,  merely  because  I  am  no  longer  at  home  with  my 
dear  wife,  but  here  at  Innspruck  at  the  emperor's  palace.  I 
am  also  accustomed  to  dine  very  plainly,  and  am  therefore 
opposed  to  any  expensive  repasts  being  got  up  for  me  here.  I 
do  not  like  the  meats  prepared  by  the  cooks  of  the  aristocracy  ; 
and  while  I  do  not  want  anything  but  bread,  butter,  cheese, 
and  wine,  I  shall  send  to  Niederkircher's  tavern  for  my  dinner. 
But  it  must  never  cost  more  than  half  a  florin.  I  will  invite 
guests,  for  I  like  to  have  merry  people  about  me  :  but  the 
guests  must  not  come  for  the  sake  of  the  repast,  but  for  that 
of  our  pleasant  conversation.  I  shall  send  to  Niederkircher 
for  the  dinner  of  all  my  guests,  and  he  must  send  enough, 


A  DAY   OF  THE   EMPEROR'S  LIEUTENANT.  391 

lest  any  of  them  should  remain  hungry.  But  there  must 
never  be  more  than  six  guests,  for  it  would  be  too  bad  if  I, 
who  intend  to  preserve  the  Tyrol  to  the  emperor,  were  to  cost 
him  a  great  deal  of  money  here.  In  order  to  prevent  mis- 
take, Niederkircher  must  send  in  his  bill  every  morning  for 
me  to  examine  ;  the  financial  secretary  shall  pay  it  every 
week,  and  send  me  the  receipt."* 

Andreas  Hofer  remained  in  these  days  of  his  splendor  as 
active,  industrious,  and  simple  as  he  always  had  been.  The 
welfare  of  his  beloved  country  engrossed  all  his  thoughts,  and 
he  was  desirous  of  devoting  his  whole  strength  to  it.  He  is- 
sued a  number  of  useful  and  liberal  decrees,  which,  it  is  true, 
Ennemoser,  Doninger,  Kolb,  or  other  friends  of  his  had  drawn 
up,  but  which  he  had  approved  and  signed. 

Andreas  Hofer  gave  public  audiences  every  morning  like  a 
real  prince,  and  the  sentinels  placed  in  front  of  the  imperial 
palace  and  at  the  door  of  the  commander-in-chief  had  received 
stringent  orders  not  to  refuse  admittance  to  the  audience-room 
to  any  one,  but  allow  all  to  come  in,  how  poorly  soever  they 
might  be  dressed.  Andreas  listened  to  every  one  with  kind 
patience  and  cordial  sympathy,  and  always  took  care  to  help 
console  the  distressed,  make  peace,  and  conciliate  ;  and  every 
one  who  needed  comfort  and  assistance  hastened  to  apply  to 
the  always  helpful  commander-in-chief. 

To-day  again  many  persons  were  in  the  audience-room, 
waiting  impatiently  for  the  moment  when  the  door  should 
open,  and  when  Andreas  Hofer  should  make  his  appearance  on 
the  threshold,  greet  all  with  a  pleasant  nod  of  his  head,  and 
then  beckon  to  him  who  was  nearest  to  the  door  to  enter  his 
cabinet. 

But  the  hour  fixed  for  the  audience  had  struck  long  ago, 
and  the  commander-in-chief,  who  was  usually  so  punctual  and 
conscientious,  had  not  yet  opened  the  door  of  his  audience- 
room.  He  had  already  been  half  an  hour  in  his  cabinet,  and 
Doninger  sat  at  the  desk,  ready  to  write  down  the  names  of  all 
applicants  for  audience,  and  add  a  brief  statement  of  their 

*  The  expenses  of  Hofer  and  his  whole  suite,  during  their  six  weeks' 
sojourn  in  the  city  of  Innspruck,  cost  the  public  exchequer  only  five  hundred 
florins. 


392  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

wishes  and  petitions.  But  Andreas  was  still  pacing  the  room, 
his  hands  behind  his  back  ;  and  although  he  had  already  laid 
his  hand  twice  on  the  door-knob,  he  had  stepped  back  as  if  in 
terror,  and  continued  striding  up  and  down. 

"  Commander-in-chief,"  said  Doninger,  after  a  long  pause, 
during  which  he  had  watched  Hofer's  irresolute  bearing 
smilingly,  "there  is  something  that  disquiets  you,  is  there 
not?" 

"  Yes,  Cajetan,"  sighed  Andreas.  "  As  you  have  found  it 
out,  I  will  no  longer  deny  that  there  is  something  that  dis- 
quiets me." 

"  And  what  is  it,  commander-in-chief  ?  Will  you  not  com- 
municate it  to  your  faithful  and  discreet  Cajetan  ? " 

"Yes,  I  will,  my  dear  Cajetan,"  said  Hofer.  "  I  am  afraid 
I  did  something  very  stupid  yesterday,  and  I  am  ashamed 
of  it." 

"  Ah,  you  allude  to  the  lawsuit  which  you  decided  yester- 
day," exclaimed  Doninger. 

"  You  see,  no  sooner  did  I  say  that  I  did  something  very 
stupid,  than  you  at  once  knew  what  I  meant  ;  what  I  did  must, 
therefore,  have  been  very  stupid  indeed.  Yes,  I  alluded  to  the 
lawsuit,  Cajetan,  for  I  am  afraid  I  did  not  decide  it,  but  made 
it  only  more  complicated." 

u  On  the  whole,  there  was  nothing  to  be  decided,"  said 
Doninger,  dryly.  "  The  lawsuit  was  already  decided  ;  the 
supreme  court  had  given  judgment  in  favor  of  the  plaintiff 
and  awarded  to  him  the  sum  of  one  thousand  florins,  which 
was  at  issue,  and  sentenced  the  defendant  to  pay  that  sum 
and  the  costs.  But  the  defendant — " 

"  It  was  no  man,  Cajetan,"  interrupted  Andreas  ;  "  it  was  a 
woman,  and  that  was  the  worst  of  it.  I  cannot  bear  to  see 
women  weep.  They  know  so  well  how  to  touch  my  heart  by 
their  tears  and  lamentations,  that  I  long  to  help  them.  Lord 
Jesus,  how  that  woman,  the  defendant  in  the  lawsuit,  wept ! 
And  was  it  the  poor  woman's  fault,  Cajetan,  that  her  deceased 
husband  was  head  over  ears  in  debt,  that  he  borrowed  one 
thousand  florins  from  a  friend,  and  meanly  affixed  his  wife's 
name  without  her  knowledge  to  the  note  which  he  gave  for 
it?" 


A  DAY   OF   THE   EMPEROR'S   LIEUTENANT.  393 

"But  that  is  just  the  trouble,  commander-in-chief  ;  not 
only  did  she  know  it,  but  she  herself  put  her  name  under  the 
note.  I  myself  asked  the  judges  about  it  yesterday.  They 
say  that  the  woman  is  known  to  be  avaricious,  greedy,  and 
mean,  and  they  would  not  have  given  judgment  against  her 
if  there  had  not  been  sworn  evidence  to  the  effect  that  she 
herself  signed  the  note.  They  add  that  she  is  rich  enough  to 
pay  back  the  thousand  florins  which  her  husband  certainly 
borrowed  from  his  friend." 

"  I  cannot  believe  it,"  exclaimed  Andreas.  "  She  wept  and 
lamented  so  very  unaffectedly ;  during  my  whole  wedded  life 
I  have  not  seen  my  wife  weep  so  much  as  the  woman  wept 
during  that  quarter  of  an  hour  yesterday ;  and  I  think  one 
that  can  weep  so  much  must  be  innocent.  Hence,  I  did  what 
[  had  a  perfect  right  to  do  ;  I  wrote  to  the  judges  and  re- 
versed their  decision." 

"  Well,  commander-in-chief,  if  you  think  you  were  justified 
in  what  you  did,  why  does  it  disquiet  you  ? " 

"  It  does,"  said  Andreas  Hofer, kt  because  I  think  now  that 
the  plaintiff,  who  lost  his  suit,  may  feel  very  sore  over  it,  and 
blame  me  for  depriving  him  of  what  he  thought  was  due  to 
him  ;  and  I  shudder  to  think  he  may  be  in  the  other  room, 
and  intend  to  reproach  me  with  ruining  him  and  taking  from 
him  what  the  judges  had  already  awarded  to  him." 

"  And,  Andy,  because  you  would  not  like  to  see  one  man, 
you  keep  the  others  waiting  outside." 

"  You  are  right,  Cajetan.  I  ought  not  to  do  that ;  I  am  a 
selfish,  cowardly  fellow,"  cried  Andreas,  contritely.  "  I  will 
no  longer  keep  them  waiting,  but  admit  them  at  once." 

And  he  went  with  a  hasty  step  to  the  door  of  the  audience- 
room,  threw  it  open,  and  stepped  upon  the  threshold.  The 
large  room  was  crowded  with  persons  of  every  age  and  rank  ; 
all  thronged  toward  the  door,  and  every  one  was  desirous  of 
being  the  first  to  greet  the  commander-in-chief,  and  to  be  in- 
vited by  him  into  his  cabinet. 

Andreas  Hofer  bowed  kindly  to  all ;  his  eyes  fell  on  an  old 
man  with  silver-white  hair,  who  was  striving  to  penetrate  to 
him,  and  cast  beseeching  glances  on  him. 

"  My  old  friend,"  said  Andreas,  mildly,  "  it  is  true  you  are 
26 


39-i  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

not  nearest  to  the  door,  but  you  are  the  oldest  person  in  the 
room,  aud  therefore  it  is  right  for  me  to  listen  to  you  first. 
Come  in,  then,  and  tell  me  what  you  want  of  me." 

The  old  man,  leaning  on  his  cane,  hastened  forward  and 
entered  the  cabinet,  the  door  of  which  Andreas  Hofer  himself 
closed  behind  him. 

"Now  tell  me,  my  aged  friend,  who  are  you,  and  what  I 
can  do  for  you." 

"Much,  very  much,  commander-in-chief,"  replied  the  old 
man,  in  a  tremulous  voice.  "  You  can  grant  me  justice.  My 
name  is  Friedel  Hofmeier,  and  I  am  the  unfortunate  man  who 
gained  his  lawsuit  yesterday,  and  who  was  to  get  his  thousand 
florins  back,  but  from  whom  you  took  them  again  by  virtue  of 
your  supreme  authority." 

"Cajetan,  it  is  as  I  said,"  sighed  Andreas,  turning  with  a 
doleful  air  to  Doninger,  who  sat  at  the  desk,  pen  in  hand, 
and  bowed  to  the  commander-in-chief  with  a  shrug. 

"  I  come  to  you,  the  emperor's  lieutenant,  to  demand  jus- 
tice," added  the  old  man.  ''  Your  decree  was  unjust  and  con- 
trary to  law.  The  judges  had  decided  in  my  favor,  and  by 
reversing  their  judgment,  you  treat  with  harshness  and  cruel- 
ty an  old  man  who  stands  on  the  brink  of  the  grave,  and  de- 
prive my  poor  grandchild  of  its  whole  inheritance." 

"May  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  preserve  me  from  commit- 
ting such  a  crime,"  murmured  Andreas  Hofer,  crossing  him- 
self devoutly.  "  Ah,  my  friend,  why  did  you  not  come  to  me 
ere  this,  and  tell  me  all  about  it  ?  I  should  have  gladly  as- 
sisted you  in  recovering  what  was  due  to  you." 

''  And  yet  it  is  your  fault  that  I  cannot  recover  what  is  due 
to  me,"  cried  the  old  man,  mournfully.  "  Why  should  I  have 
come  hither  ere  this,  and  robbed  you  of  your  precious  time  ? 
I  confided  in  my  good  and  just  cause;  I  knew  that  the  good 
God  would  not  abandon  me,  and  that  He  would  not  take  from 
me,  after  losing  innocently  most  of  my  property  by  the  cruel- 
ty of  the  enemy,  who  burned  down  my  house  and  outbuild- 
ings, the  last  remnant  of  my  little  fortune,  the  thousand  florins 
which  I  lent  to  my  friend,  and  which  his  rich  wife  engaged  in 
her  own  handwriting  to  pay  back  ten  years  after  date.  The 
ten  years  had  expired  ;  the  good  God  did  not  abandon  me.  for 


A  DAY   OF  THE   EMPEROR'S  LIEUTENANT.  395 

He  caused  the  judges  to  grant  me  justice  and  adjudge  the  thou- 
sand florins  to  me." 

"And  I  took  them  from  him  again,"  murmured  Andreas 
Hofer,  with  tears  in  his  eyes  ;  "  and  it  is  my  fault  that  he  will 
die  with  a  grief-stricken  heart.  Cajetan,  I  have  ruined  the 
old  man  ;  tell  me.  advise  me  how  to  make  amends  for  it." 

"  You  reversed  the  decision  of  the  judges,"  said  D6ningert 
slowly  ;  "  you  possess  the  power  of  reversing  all  decisions." 

Andreas  Hofer  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and  gazed 
thoughtfully  into  vacancy,  as  if  to  fathom  the  meaning  of  an 
obscure  oracle  ;  all  at  once  his  face  brightened,  and  a  joyous 
smile  played  round  his  lips. 

"I  know  it  now,  Cajetan."  he  exclaimed.  "I  have  the 
power  to  reverse  all  decisions,  and  therefore  my  own  also." 

Cajetan  Doninger  nodded  with  silent  satisfaction.  The 
old  man  clasped  his  hands  and  gazed  at  Hofer  with  an  ex- 
pression of  ardent  gratitude. 

"  Will  you  really  do  so,  Andreas  Hofer  ? "  he  asked  trem- 
blingly. "  Will  you  reverse  your  own  decree  for  the  sake  of 
justice  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  will,"  exclaimed  Hofer,  joyfully ;  "  and  I  will  do 
it  immediately.  Cajetan,  take  up  your  pen  and  write  what  I 
am  going  to  dictate  to  you.  There  !  now  write  as  follows  : 
4 1,  the  undersigned,  confess  by  these  presents  that  I  committed 
a  mistake  yesterday,  and  violated  the  laws.  To  confess  mis- 
takes and  avow  faults  is  no  disgrace;  hence,  I  do  so  now.  and 
beg  pardon  of  the  good  God  and  the  judges  for  doing  wrong. 
I  hereby  reverse  the  decision  which  I  made  yesterday.  Frie- 
del  Hofmeier  is  to  receive  the  thousand  florins  which  the  su- 
preme court  adjudged  to  him,  and  the  decision  of  the  judges 
is  to  be  valid,  notwithstanding  my  decree  issued  yesterday.' 
Now  give  me  the  pen  and  let  me  sign  the  document." 

"Oh,  dear  commander-in-chief,"  exclaimed  the  delighted 
old  man,  "what  a  noble  and  kind-hearted  man  you  are, 
and-*' 

"  Hush  ! "  interrupted  Andreas,  looking  up  from  the  paper; 
"  if  I  make  a  mistake  now,  the  whole  document  will  be  in- 
valid, and  we  must  commence  anew.  Now  I  tell  you  it  is 
hard  work  to  write  one's  name  with  such  a  pointed  pen  on  the 


396  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

paper,  and  my  name,  moreover,  has  such  a  long-tailed  title. 
Therefore,  keep  quiet  and  let  me  write.  There,  it  is  done  now 
— 'Andreas  Hofer,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol.'  Now, 
my  dear  old  friend,  your  document  is  valid.  Take  it  to  the 
city  hall,  and  permit  me  to  congratulate  you  on  having  re- 
covered your  thousand  florins.  Say  nothing  about  it  now, 
but  hasten  to  the  city  hall.  There  are  outside  a  great  many 
persons  who  wish  to  see  me." 

He  handed  the  paper  to  the  old  man,  and  conducted  him  to 
the  door,  which  he  himself  opened  for  him.  He  was  about  to 
follow  him,  when  he  suddenly  drew  back  and  closed  the  door 
after  him. 

"Cajetan,"  he  whispered,  anxiously,  "I  saw  something 
dreadful ! " 

"  What  was  it,  commander-in-chief  ? " 

"  Cajetan,  I  saw  the  woman  whom  Friedel  Hofmeier  sued, 
and  to  whom  I  gave  the  decree  yesterday.  Cajetan,  I  was  not 
afraid  when  we  were  on  Mount  Isel  and  at  Brixen,  but  I  am 
afraid  of  that  woman  and  her  dreadful  lamentations.  I  do 
not  know  what  to  do,  Doninger,  if  she  should  have  found 
out  what  I  have  done,  and  come  in  here  to  reproach  me  with 
it." 

"  We  shall  not  admit  her,  commander-in-chief,"  said  Do- 
ninger, laughing. 

"  But,  Cajetan,  I  made  a  vow  never  to  refuse  admittance 
to  any  one,  and  not,  as  many  princes  do,  to  allow  distressed 
persons  to  wait  in  my  anteroom  and  send  them  away  with- 
out listening  to  them  and  comforting  them." 

"  But  you  heard,  Andreas,  that  the  woman  is  not  in  dis- 
tress, for  she  is  rich  and  very  avaricious.  She  told  you  the 
most  impudent  falsehoods  ;  hence,  she  must  not  be  admitted ; 
for,  if  you  allow  her  to  come  in  again,  she  would  lie  as  she 
did  yesterday." 

"  You  are  right,  Cajetan,  she  must  not  come  in  ;  and  now, 
my  friend,  pray  go  and  admit  the  next  applicant,  but  not  that 
bad  woman." 

Doninger  went  to  the  door,  and,  opening  it,  beckoned  to  the 
person  standing  nearest  to  it. 

A    young    woman,    dressed    plainly,    but    very    neatly, 


A   DAY   OF   THE   EMPEROR'S   LIEUTENANT.  397 

came  in,  and  remained  at  the  door,  in  visible  confusion  and 
grief. 

"  Well,  madame,"  said  Andeas  to  her,  "  do  you  come  to  tell 
me  that  all  is  right,  and  that  your  husband  and  you,  his  pretty 
young  wife,  live  together  in  happiness  and  content  ?  Well,  it 
was  heavy  work  to  reconcile  you  two,  and  persuade  you  to  re- 
main together  and  love  each  other,  as  it  behooves  a  Christian 
couple.  It  cost  me  a  whole  forenoon,  but  I  do  not  regret  it, 
for  I  accomplished  my  task,  and  reconciled  you,  and  all  was 
right  again  between  you.  And  I  made  you  promise  to  return 
in  two  weeks  and  tell  me  how  you  got  along  with  each  other. 
The  two  .weeks  are  up  to-day,  and  here  comes  the  pretty 
young  wife  to  tell  me  that  Andreas  Hofer  did  his  work  well, 
and  that  her  husband  is  now  faithful,  tender,  and  good.  Is  he 
not  ? " 

"  Alas,  he  is  not ! "  sobbed  the  young  wife,  bursting  into 
tears.  "  Tony,  my  husband,  never  stays  at  home  in  the  even- 
ing ;  he  returns  only  late  at  night,  scolds  me  for  weeping  and 
upbraiding  him  with  his  bad  conduct,  and  yesterday — yester- 
day he  wanted  even  to  beat  me  ! " 

"  What  a  bad  man  !  "  cried  Andreas,  vehemently.  "  Why 
did  he  want  to  beat  you,  then  ?  What  had  you  done  ? " 

"  I  had  locked  the  street-door,  and  would  not  let  him  have 
the  key  when  he  wanted  to  leave  the  house." 

"  ITem  !  that  was  a  little  too  severe,"  said  Hofer,  hesitat- 
ingly. "  Why  should  a  young  man  be  prevented  from  going 
out  a  little  ?  He  cannot  always  stay  at  home." 

"  But  he  shall  not  go  out  without  me,  and  he  would  not 
take  me  with  him.  I  had  requested  him  to  do  so,  and  he  had 
refused  ;  therefore,  I  locked  the  house  and  would  not  permit 
him  to  leave  it.  He  shall  not  go  out  without  me,  for  he  is 
such  a  fine-looking  man,  that  all  the  pretty  women  of  Inn- 
spruck  admire  him  in  his  handsome  national  dress,  and  ogle 
him  when  he  passes  by." 

"  Well,  let  them  admire  and  ogle  him,"  exclaimed  Andreas, 
smiling.  "  What  do  you  care  for  it,  provided  your  husband 
does  not  ogle  them  ?  " 

"  But  he  does,  commander-in-chief  ;  he  runs  after  the  pret- 
ty women  •  he  goes  to  the  theatre  and  the  concerts  to  see  them, 


398  ANDREAS   GOFER. 

and  speak  and  flirt  with  them.  Believe  me,  dearest  Com- 
mander-in-chief, he  deserts  me,  he  is  faithless,  and  all  your  fine 
and  pious  exhortations  were  in  vain.  He  loves  me  no  longer, 
and  I  love  him  so  dearly,  and  would  like  to  be  always  with  him 
and  never  desert  him.  But  he  says  it  would  be  inconvenient 
to  him,  and  make  him  ridiculous,  if  he  should  always  appear 
together  with  his  wife,  like  a  convict  with  his  jailer." 

"  What  a  bad,  hard-hearted  man  ! "  cried  Andreas,  indig- 
nantly. 

"  He  is  hard-hearted,  indeed/'  sobbed  the  young  wife.  "  He 
scolds  me  for  my  love,  and  when  I  like  to  be  with  him  all  the 
time,  he  says  my  jealousy  is  disagreeable  to  him,  and  there  is 
nothing  more  abominable  than  a  jealous  wife  !  " 

"  Well,  he  may  be  right  so  far  as  that  is  concerned,"  said 
Doninger,  busily  engaged  in  cutting  his  pen. 

"  What  did  you  say,  Cajetan  ? "  asked  Hofer,  turning  to 
him. 

"  I  did  not  say  anything,  but  thought  aloud,"  said  Donin- 
ger, trying  his  pen. 

Hofer  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and  gazed  into  vacancy. 
"  Yes,  my  dear  woman,"  he  then  said  boldly,  "  your  husband 
may  not  be  altogether  wrong  in  complaining  of  your  jealousy. 
I  really  believe  that  you  are  a  little  jealous,  and  beg  you  to  try 
to  overcome  your  jealousy  ;  for  jealousy  is  a  grievous  fault, 
and  makes  many  husbands  very  wretched." 

"  But  must  I  not  be  jealous  ? "  she  cried,  vehemently,  weep- 
ing bitterly.  u  Do  I  not  see  that  the  women  are  trying  to  se- 
duce him  and  make  him  desert  me  ?  Do  I  not  see  him  at  the 
theatre  gazing  at  the  finely-dressed  ladies  and  admiring  their 
bare  arms  and  shoulders  ? " 

"  What  ! "  exclaimed  Hofer.  "  Is  it  true,  then,  that  the 
women  here  appear  in  public  with  bare  arms  and  shoulders  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,  it  is,"  sobbed  the  young  wife.  "You  can  see  it 
everywhere  ;  it  is  the  new  fashion  which  the  French  brought 
here  ;  the  women  wear  low-necked  dresses  with  very  short 
sleeves,  so  that  their  shoulders  and  arms  are  entirely  bare. 
All  the  aristocratic  ladies  of  Innspruck  have  already  adopted 
this  new  fashion  ;  and  on  seeing  them  in  their  boxes  at  the 
theatre,  you  would  believe  they  were-  in  a  bath,  precisely  as 


A   DAY    OF   THE   EMPEROR'S   LIEUTENANT.  399 

the  good  God  created  them.  And  it  is  owing  only  to  these 
bare  arms  and  shoulders  that  my  dear  husband  deserts  me  and 
loves  me  no  longer.  The  aristocratic  ladies,  with  their  naked 
charms,  have  seduced  him  ;  and  just  think  of  it,  he  wants  me 
to  adopt  the  new  fashion  too,  and  go  as  naked  as  the  other 
women  !  " 

"  You  must  not  do  it,"  said  Hofer  in  dismay  ;  "  it  is  a 
shameless,  unchristian  fashion,  and  no  decent  woman  should 
adopt  it.  This  is  not  the  first  complaint  that  I  have  heard  in 
regard  to  the  indecent  dress  of  the  women  here.  Some  of  my 
neighbors  were  at  the  theatre  yesterday,  and  were  indignant 
at  the  indecent  appearance  of  the  women  there  ;  they  told  me 
the  women  sat  there  dressed  in  the  highest  fashion,  then*  busts 
entirely  bare  and  not  covered  with  a  handkerchief  such  as 
every  decent  woman  in  the  Passeyr  valley  wears,  and  their 
arms  adorned  with  all  sorts  of  golden  trinkets  such  as  we  see 
only  on  those  of  strolling  players  who  perform  in  barns.  But 
I  will  put  an  end  to  it ;  I  will  preserve  the  good  and  virtuous 
men  from  seduction,  and  will  not  suffer  vice  to  dress  up,  and 
shamelessness  to  stalk  by  the  side  of  decency.  Just  wait  my 
dear  woman  ;  I  will  protect  your  husband  and  all  other  good 
men  from  the  seductive  wiles  of  frivolous  women,  and  issue  a 
decree  which  will  tell  all  the  beautiful  women  how  to  behave. 
Sit  down  there  and  listen  to  the  decree  which  I  shall  dictate  to 
Cajetan  Doninger.  Cajetan,  take  a  large  sheet  of  stamped 
paper  and  write  what  I  shall  dictate  to  you." 

And  pacing  the  room,  and  slowly  stroking  his  fine  black 
beard  with  his  right  hand,  Andreas  Hofer  dictated  as  follows  : 

"Every  one  will  perceive  that  we  have  good  reason  to 
thank  the  kind  and  almighty  God  for  helping  us  so  signally 
to  deliver  the  fatherland  from  a  powerful  and  cruel  enemy  ; 
and  every  one  will  desire  that  we  should  henceforth  remain 
free  from  this  scourge,  with  which  the  Lord,  as  He  punished 
His  chosen  people  often  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  visited 
and  chastised  our  fatherland,  that  we  might  turn  to  Him  and 
mend  our  ways.  We  will,  therefore,  turn  to  God  with  heart- 
felt thanks  for  his  great  mercy,  and  with  the  sincere  purpose 
of  improving  our  morals,  and  pray  Him  to  protect  us  from 
further  persecution.  We  must  try  to  gain  His  paternal  love 


400  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

by  a  devout,  chaste,  and  virtuous  life,  and  discard  hatred, 
envy,  covetousness,  and  all  vices,  obey  our  superiors,  lend  as 
much  assistance  as  possible  to  our  fellow-citizens,  and  avoid 
everything  that  might  give  offence  to  God  and  man.  Now. 
many  of  my  excellent  comrades  and  defenders  of  the  country 
have  been  scandalized  at  the  neglect  of  many  women  to  cover 
their  arms  and  breasts,  whereby  they  give  rise  to  sinful  desires 
which  must  be  highly  offensive  to  God  and  all  good  Chris- 
tians. It  is  to  be  hoped  that  they  will  repent,  lest  God  should 
punish  them  ;  but  if  they  do  not,  it  will  be  their  own  fault 
if  they  should  be  covered  with  mire  in  an  unpleasant  man- 
ner." * 

'•  Shall  I  really  write  that  ?  "  asked  Doninger,  looking  up 
from  his  paper. 

"  Yes,  you  shall  ;  and  you  shall  not  omit  a  word  of  it,"  ex- 
claimed Andreas  Hofer.  "  Give  me  the  paper,  Cajetan  ;  I 
want  to  see  if  you  have  not  scratched  out  the  last  words.  No, 
there  it  is  :  '  But  if  they  do  not,  it  will  be  their  own  fault  if 
they  should  be  covered  with  mire  in  an  unpleasant  manner.' 
That  is  right — now  give  me  the  pen,  Cajetan,  that  I  may  sign 
the  document.  Then  seal  it  up  and  send  it  to  the  Official  Jour- 
nal and  the  Gazette  ;  they  are  to  publish  it  at  once,  that  all  the 
Kromen  of  Innspruck  may  read  it  to-morrow  and  know  what 
to  do.  Now,  my  dear  woman,  I  hope  you  will  have  some  rest, 
and  need  not  be  afraid  of  the  seductive  wiles  of  those  ladies. 
Go  home,  then  ;  and  if  you  will  permit  me  to  give  you  good 
advice,  be  very  gentle  and  kind  toward  your  husband  ;  and 
for  God's  sake  do  not  torment  him  with  jealousy,  for  that  is  a 
bitter  herb  which  even  the  best  husband  cannot  digest,  and 
which  renders  him  morose  and  angry.  Go,  then,  with  God's 
blessing,  and  come  back  a  week  hence,  and  tell  me  whether  my 
decree  has  been  effectual,  and  whether  your  husband  goes  any 
longer  to  the  theatre  and  ogles  the  women  there." 

"  May  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  have  mercy  on  us  1 " 
sighed  the  woman,  going  to  the  door  ;  "for  I  shall  not  bear  it 
if  my  dear  husband  ogles  other  women,  and  something  dread- 
ful will  happen  if  he  does  not  mend  his  ways." 

*  See  "  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  135 ;  and  Horraayr'g  "  Ho- 
fer,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  445. 


THE  LOVERS.  401 

"  God  be  praised  !  "  said  Doninger,  with  a  deep  sigh,  when 
the  woman  had  left  the  room. 

"  Why  do  you  say  '  God  be  praised '  ?  "  asked  Andreas,  in 
surprise. 

"  God  be  praised  that  I  am  not  the  husband  of  this  jealous 
woman.  She  will  torment  her  husband  to  death,  and  leave 
him  not  a  moment's  repose  before  he  dies." 

"  It  is  true,  she  does  not  seem  to  be  very  gentle,"  said  An- 
dreas, smiling.  "  But  then,  Cajetan,  she  loves  her  husband 
dearly,  is  doubtless  a  virtuous  woman,  and  will  never  sin 
against  the  seventh  commandment.  Well,  my  friend,  do  not 
grumble  so  much,  but  go  and  admit  another  person." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  LOVERS. 

DONINGER  went  to  the  door  and  opened  it,  and  a  beautiful 
young  girl  slipped  immediately  into  the  room.  "Hush, 
hush,''  she  whispered  to  Doninger  ;  "  do  not  say  anything  to 
him."  And  she  hastened  on  tiptoe  to  Andreas  Hofer,  who 
was  reading  once  more  with  close  attention  the  proclamation 
which  he  had  dictated  to  Doninger. 

She  bent  down  and  kissed  the  hand  in  which  Hofer  held 
the  paper.  "  God  bless  you,  dear,  great  father  and  liberator  of 
the  people  ! "  she  said,  in  a  silver  voice. 

"  Lizzie  Wallner  ! "  exclaimed  Andreas,  joyfully,  casting 
aside  the  paper.  "  Yes,  by  the  Eternal,  it  is  she  !  It  is  Lizzie, 
ihe  dearest  child  of  my  best  friend — the  most  heroic  girl  in  the 
Tyrol.  Come,  Lizzie,  embrace  your  second  father,  Andy,  and 
give  me  a  kiss  for  father  and  mother,  and  one  for  yourself, 
my  dear  girl." 

Eliza  encircled  Hofer's  neck,  and  imprinted  a  tender  kiss 
on  his  lips.  "  God  bless  you,  dear  father,  for  you  are  the 
father  of  the  whole  Tyrol,"  she  whispered,  "  and  must  not  scold 
me  for  calling  you  my  father  too." 

"  On  the  contrary,  it  gladdens  my  heart,"  exclaimed  An- 


4-02  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

dreas,  folding  her  tenderly  to  his  hreast.  "  It  seems  to  me  as 
though  I  were  holding  one  of  my  own  girls  in  my  arms,  and 
as  though  I  heard  her  dear  voice  calling  me  father.  Lizzie,  I 
can  tell  you  I  often  long  for  my  pretty  daughters  and  their 
mother,  Anna  Gertrude,  and  sometimes  I  feel  very  lonely  in- 
deed." 

"  And  why  do  you  not  send  for  your  wife  and  children, 
father  Andy,  and  have  them  brought  here  ?  I  am  sure  there 
is  room  enough  for  them  in  this  large  house." 

u  No,  they  shall  stay  at  home,"  exclaimed  Andreas,  vehe- 
mently. "  The  mother  must  attend  to  household  affairs,  and 
keep  every  thing  in  good  order,  and  the  girls  must  help  her 
do  it.  Otherwise  all  would  go  amiss,  and  when  I  should  have 
no  longer  to  work  for  the  emperor  here;  and  went  back  to  my 
home,  the  inn  in  the  Passeyr  valley  would  be  worthless  ;  we 
should  be  destitute,  and  become  beggars.  Besides,  I  do  not 
want  my  girls  to  become  proud,  and  think  they  are  aristocratic 
young  ladies  now,  because  their  father  is  commander-in-chief 
of  the  Tyrol,  and  the  emperor's  lieutenant.  We  are  peasants, 
and  will  remain  peasants.  However,  let  us  speak  no  more  of 
myself,  but  of  you,  Lizzie.  Where  do  you  come  from,  what 
do  you  want  here,  and  how  did  you  get  into  the  midst  of  the 
crowd  in  the  audience-room  ? " 

"  I  came  to  see  you,  father  Andreas.  I  asked  the  sentinel 
in  the  passage  outside  where  I  would  find  you,  as  I  had  to  see 
you  on  important  business.  The  sentinel  told  me  to  enter  the 
audience-room.  It  was  already  crowded  with  persons  who 
wished  to  see  you,  and  who  told  me  that  one  was  admitted  to 
you  after  another  ;  but,  on  hearing  that  I  had  come  all  the 
way  from  Windisch-Matrey,  and  had  walked  two  days  and 
two  nights  without  intermission,  they  took  pity  on  me,  and 
would  not  let  me  wait  until  my  turn  came,  but  allowed  me  to 
advance  close  to  the  door,  so  as  to  be  the  first  to  enter  your 
room." 

"  The  people  of  Innspruck  are  very  kind-hearted  indeed," 
exclaimed  Andreas,  joyously.  "  Then  you  have  come  all  the 
way  from  Windisch-Matrey,  Lizzie?  And  where  is  your 
father  ? " 

"  He  and  his  sharpshooters  joined  Joachim  Haspinger  and 


THE   LOVERS.  403 

Joseph  Speck bacher,  and  the  united  forces  of  the  three  com- 
manders marched  against  the  Bavarians.  Father  and  his 
seven  hundred  sharpshooters  expelled  the  Bavarians  from 
the  Unken  valley,  and  is  now  encamped  near  Berchtesga- 
den  and  Reichenhall.  Speckbacher  is  stationed  at  Neuhau- 
serand  Schwarzbacb,  and  Haspinger  is  still  at  Werfen.  They 
are  going  to  reunite  their  forces  and  advance  against  the  Ba- 
varians, in  order,  if  possible,  to  drive  them  from  the  pass  of 
Lueg,  which  the  enemy  has  occupied  with  a  large  force." 

"  And  you  are  not  with  your  father,  Lizzie,  nor  with  your 
friend  the  Capuchin,  who  speaks  of  you  only  as  a  heroine  ?• 
You  no  longer  carry  the  wounded  out  of  the  thickest  of  the 
fight,  to  dress  their  wounds  and  nurse  them  ? " 

"  I  have  another  duty  to  fulfil  now,  and  my  father  has  per- 
mitted me  to  come  to  you  in  regard  to  it,  dear  father  Andreas 
Hofer.  I  am  in  great  distress,  and  you  alone,  dear,  all-power- 
ful commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol,  are  able  to  help  me." 

"  Tell  me  quick,  Lizzie,  what  can  I  do  for  you  ? "  asked  An- 
dreas, eagerly.  •'  I  owe  you  yet  a  reward  for  your  heroic  deed 
on  the  day  of  the  hay-wagons,  and  I  should  like  to  discharge 
this  debt  of  the  fatherland.  Tell  me.  therefore,  dear  girl,  what 
can  I  do  for  you  ?  " 

'•  You  can  restore  to  me  the  dearest  friend  I  have  on  earth," 
said  Eliza,  beseechingly.  "You  can  deliver  a  patriotic  girl 
from  Bavarian  captivity,  and  an  excellent  nobleman,  who  has 
done  no  other  wrong  than  that  he  possesses  a  loyal  Tyrolese 
heart,  from  grief  and  despair." 

"  I  will  do  so  with  all  my  heart,"  exclaimed  Andreas  ; 
"only  tell  me,  Lizzie,  whom  you  refer  to." 

"  I  refer  to  Baron  von  Hohenberg,  who  lived  at  the  castle 
of  Windisch-Matrey,  and  his  daughter,  my  dear  and  only 
friend  Elza.  The  old  baron  was  always  a  very  pious  and  affa- 
ble gentleman,  a  benefactor  and  father  of  the  poor  ;  and  not  a 
poor  man,  not  a  woman  in  distress  applied  to  him,  but  whom 
he  willingly  relieved  and  assisted.  He  lived  for  twenty  years 
in  the  Tyrol,  at  his  castle  at  Windisch-Matrey,  and  became  in 
this  manner  an  ardent  son  of  the  Tyrol,  although  he  is  a  na- 
tive of  Bavaria,  and  his  whole  aristocratic  family  lives  in 
Munich.  His  daughter  Elza  is  my  dearest  friend  ;  we  grew 


404  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

up  together,  and  I  am  so  fond  of  her  that  I  would  readily  give 
up  my  heart's  blood  for  her.  Now,  think  of  it,  dear  Andy  ! 
the  Bavarians,  on  returning  to  the  Tyrol  two  months  ago, 
made  the  two  prisoners,  the  dear  old  baron  and  my  Elza,  and 
carried  them  as  hostages  to  Munich  ;  they  charged  them  there 
with  high -treason,  because  they  stood  faithfully  by  the  Tyrol, 
and  because,  at  the  very  outset  of  the  insurrection,  the  Bava- 
rian soldiers  and  their  captain  were  surrounded  at  their  castle 
and  compelled  to  lay  down  their  arms." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  the  story,"  exclaimed  Andreas,  gayly  ; 
"  it  was  an  heroic  deed  by  which  Anthony  Wallner  inaugu- 
rated our  glorious  war  of  liberation.  And  now  the  mean  Ba- 
varians call  the  good  Baron  von  Hohenberg  a  traitor,  when 
he  was  quite  innocent  of  the  whole  affair,  and  was  not  even 
at  home  when  it  took  place.  They  say  he  left  his  castle  at  the 
time  in  order  not  to  prevent  the  Tyrolese  from  capturing  the 
Bavarians,  and  that  he  was  aware  of  the  plans  of  the  Tyrolese, 
and  should  have  warned  the  Bavarians.  But  I  say  that  he 
acted  like  a  good  patriot,  and  they  ought  neither  to  charge  him 
with  treason  nor  imprison  him  and  his  daughter." 

"  Ah,  and  both  long  so  intensely  to  return  to  their  dear 
Tyrol  and  their  castle  !  Elza  wrote  me  a  letter  which  I  re- 
ceived a  week  ago,  and  tears  had  blotted  out  half  of  its  con- 
tents. Both  feel  so  wretched  in  the  large  city  of  Munich  ; 
their  aristocratic  relatives  upbraid  them  constantly  for  their 
hostility  to  the  Bavarians  ;  the  confinement  and  prison-air 
have  already  made  the  old  baron  quite  sick,  and  Elza  thinks 
he  will  surely  die  of  grief  if  he  is  not  soon  released  and  al- 
lowed to  go  home.  Therefore,  I  implore  you,  dear,  all-power- 
ful commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol,  save  the  old  baron's  life, 
restore  my  Elza  to  me,  and  release  them  both  from  their  cap- 
tivity. This  is  what  I  came  for,  father  Andy  ;  and  if  you 
think  that  I  have  ever  done  any  thing  for  the  fatherland  that 
deserves  thanks  and  a  reward,  thank  and  reward  me  by  releas- 
ing Elza  and  her  father  from  their  captivity  and  allowing 
them  to  return  to  their  home." 

"I  will  do  all  I  can,"  exclaimed  Andreas,  profoundly 
moved  ;  "  and  the  good  God  sent  you  to  me  to-day,  for  to-day 
I  can  help  you. — Can  I  not,  Doninger  ? " 


THE  LOVERS.  405 

"  You  refer  to  the  Bavarian  officer  whom  you  are  going  to 
send  to  Munich  ?"  asked  Doninger. 

"  Yes,  the  Bavarian  officer  is  to  procure  their  release,"  ex- 
claimed Andreas.  ''  Look  at  the  fortunate  coincidence,  Lizzie  ! 
Among  the  prisoners  we  took  on  Mount  Isel  was  a  Bavarian 
captain,  a  sensible,  excellent  man,  who,  it  seems  to  me,  sym- 
pathizes cordially  with  the  cause  of  the  Tyrolese.  We  re- 
solved to  release  him  on  parole  and  send  him  to  ^Munich, 
where  he  was  to  negotiate  an  exchange  of  prisoners,  and  may- 
be bring  about  an  amicable  understanding  between  us  and  the 
King  of  Bavaria.  The  Bavarian  captain — I  believe  his  name 
is  Ulrich— " 

"  Ulrich  ? "  asked  Eliza,  trembling,  and  blushing  deeply. 

"  I  believe  that  is  his  name,"  said  Hofer,  quietly  ;  "  his 
other  name  I  have  forgotten  ;  we  call  him  only  Captain  Ul- 
rich, as  you  call  me  Andreas.  Well,  Captain  Ulrich  has  al- 
ready received  his  instructions  and  the  list  of  prisoners  whose 
release  he  is  to  advocate.  It  will  only  remain  for  us  to  add  Ho- 
henberg's  name  to  the  list,  and  you  yourself,  my  Lizzie,  shall 
urge  Captain  Ulrich  to  restore  to  you  the  old  baron  and  your 
friend  Elza. — Pray,  dearest  Cajetan,  go  and  fetch  the  captain  ; 
he  was  to  set  out  in  an  hour,  and  he  must,  therefore,  be  here 
yet." 

"  He  is  certainly  here  yet,  for  there  are  his  papers,  which  I 
intended  to  take  to  him,  and  without  which  he  cannot  depart," 
said  Doninger.  "  And  here  is  the  list  of  the  prisoners  whose 
release  he  is  to  procure." 

"  Add  to  it  the  names  of  the  old  baron  and  his  daughter, 
Cajetan,  and  state  that  their  release  is  urgently  desired." 

"  But  for  whom  are  they  to  be  exchanged  ? " 

"  Yes,  yes,  for  whom  ?  Well,  for  Captain  Ulrich  himself. 
If  he  procures  their  release,  and  returns  hither,  as  he  solemnly 
swore  be  would,  with  the  reply  of  the  Bavarian  government, 
and,  perhaps,  brings  the  old  baron  and  his  daughter  with  him, 
he  shall  be  free  and  at  liberty  to  go  wherever  he  pleases.  Go, 
Cajetan,  say  that  to  the  captain,  and  give  him  the  papers,  and 
repeat  to  him  once  more  all  that  he  is  to  do.  And  you,  Lizzie, 
will  you  not  send  by  him  a  note  to  your  friend  ?  But  it  is  true, 
you  have  not  yet  written  a  letter  to  her.  It  is  better  for  you 


4-06  ANDREAS  HOFEK. 

to  tell  him  what  he  is  to  say  in  your  name  to  your  friend.— 
Go,  therefore,  Cajetan,  take  the  papers  to  the  captain,  and  con- 
duct him  to  Lizzie.  But  do  not  bring  him  in  here,  for  there 
are  in  the  anteroom  still  a  great  many  persons  whom  I  must 
see  before  I  can  converse  further  with  you.  Take  him,  there- 
fore, into  the  other  room  ;  and  when  he  is  there,  return  to  me, 
Cajetan.  Lizzie  may  then  go  in  there  and  see  the  captain  ; 
and  we  shall  speak  with  the  poor  people  in  the  audience-room 
who  have  had  to  wait  already  so  long  to-day. — But  1  shall  not 
let  you  go  again,  my  Lizzie,"  added  Hofer,  after  Doninger  had 
left  the  room  ;  "  no,  I  shall  not  let  you  go  again.  You  must 
stay  with  me  at  the  palace  here,  and  be  my  dear  little  daughter 
until  the  captain  returns  from  his  mission,  and  until  you  know 
if  he  brings  your  friend  and  her  father  along  with  him.  Will 
you  do  so,  Lizzie  ? " 

"  I  will,  dear  father  Andreas  ;  I  will  stay  with  you  until 
then,  and  take  care  of  you  as  a  good  daughter,  until  my  dear 
Elza,  if  it  please  God,  returns,  when  I  will  go  back  with  her  to 
Windisch-Matrey . " 

At  this  momen*  Doninger  re-entered  the  room.  "  The  cap- 
tain is  in  the  room  yonder,"  he  said,  pointing  to  a  side-door  ; 
"  he  awaits  you.  and  will  set  out  after  seeing  you.  The  car- 
riage is  already  at  the  door.  Go,  therefore,  Eliza  Wallner." 

"  I  am  going  already,''  said  Eliza.  She  nodded  to  Andreas 
with  a  sweet  smile  and  opened  the  door  of  the  adjoining  room, 
while  Doninger  admitted  another  person  from  the  audience- 
room  into  Hofer's  cabinet. 

The  room  which  Eliza  entered  was  one  of  the  large  state 
apartments  of  the  palace,  which  Andreas  did  not  occupy,  and 
which  he  used  only  on  rare  occasions.  It  was  a  wide  room 
with  heavy  silken  hangings  on  the  walls  ;  curtains  of  the 
same  description  covered  the  windows,  so  that  only  a  dim  twi- 
light reigned  in  the  large  apartment.  Magnificent  gilt  furni- 
ture lined  the  walls  ;  between  the  windows  stood  large  Vene- 
tian mirrors  in  broad  carved  golden  frames,  and  gorgeous 
lustres  of  rock-crystal  were  suspended  from  the  ceiling. 

Was  it  the  splendor  and  magnificence  surrounding  her  all 
at  once  that  rendered  Eliza  so  timid  and  anxious  ?  She  leaned 
for  a  moment  in  great  embarrassment  against  the  door,  as  if 


THE   LOVERS.  407 

she  could  not  venture  to  advance  on  the  glittering  floor.  Her 
large,  bright  eyes  glanced  uneasily  around  the  great  room,  and 
now  she  saw  in  the  window-niche  yonder  the  tall  form  of  a 
gentleman  ;  his  head  was  averted  from  her,  and  he  seemed  to 
be  looking  eagerly  out  of  the  window. 

"  I  do  not  know  him  ;  surely,  I  do  not  know  him,"  said 
Eliza  to  herself.  "  It  is  foolish  in  me  to  think  so  ;  be  strong, 
therefore,  my  heart,  strong  and  calm,  and  do  not  throb  so  very 
impetuously  ! " 

And  overcoming  her  bashfulness  with  a  courageous  effort, 
she  advanced  toward  the  officer,  who  was  still  turning  his  back 
upon  her. 

Now  she  was  close  behind  him,  and  said  in  a  low,  bashful 
voice  :  "  Captain,  I — " 

He  turned  quickly,  and  gazed  at  her  with  eyes  radiant  with 
joy  and  intense  love. 

Eliza  uttered  a  cry  ;  she  raised  her  hands  involuntarily, 
made  a  step  forward,  and  lay  in  his  arms  before  knowing  it ; 
she  felt  his  burning  kisses  on  her  lips,  in  her  heart,  and 
thought  and  knew  nothing  but — "  It  is  he  !  It  is  he  !  I  see 
him  again  !  He  still  loves  me  ! '' 

"  See,  dearest  Eliza,"  whispered  Ulrich,  drawing  her  close 
to  his  heart,  "  I  had  to  act  thus  in  order  to  elicit  your  heavenly 
secret  from  you.  I  knew  it  was  you  who  wished  to  see  me  ; 
I  wanted  to  take  you  by  surprise,  and  I  succeeded.  Your  sur- 
prise betrayed  what  the  timid  and  chaste  lips  of  my  Eliza 
would  not  confess  to  me.  Yes,  you  love  me  !  Oh,  deny  it  no 
longer,  for  your  heart  betrayed  you  when  you  recognized  me, 
and  when  joy  illuminated  your  face  like  a  bright  ray  of  sun- 
shine. Now  you  are  mine,  Eliza,  and  nothing  on  earth  must 
or  shall  separate  us  any  longer.  No,  do  not  try  to  disengage 
yourself  from  my  arms,  my  beautiful,  sweet,  affianced  bride  ! 
I  shall  not  leave  you  :  even  though  the  whole  world  should 
come  to  take  you  from  me,  I  should  not  leave  you — no,  not  for 
the  whole  world  and  all  its  treasures  ! " 

•'  The  whole  world  will  not  come,"  said  Eliza,  disengaging 
herself  gently  from  his  arms  ;  "the  world  does  not  concern 
itself  in  the  affairs  of  a  poor  peasant-girl  like  me.  But  I  my- 
self intend  to  leave  you,  sir  ;  you  must  let  me  go,  that  we  may 


408  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

converse  in  a  sensible  manner,  as  it  behooves  two  decent 
young  persons.  Take  your  arms  away,  Captain  von  Hohen- 
berg  ;  it  is  not  right  in  you  to  embrace  me  here  while  we  are 
all  alone.  You  would  certainly  be  ashamed  of  it  if  any  one 
should  see  you  folding  the  peasant-girl  to  your  heart." 

"  No,  Eliza,  I  would  not ;  I  should  fold  you  only  the  more 
tenderly  to  my  heart,  and  exclaim  proudly  in  the  face  of  the 
whole  world  :  '  Eliza  Wallner,  the  peasant-girl,  is  my  affianced 
bride  ;  I  love  and  adore  her  as  the  most  faithful,  noble,  and 
generous  heart ;  she  is  to  become  my  wife,  and  I  will  love  and 
cherish  her  all  my  life  ! " 

"  And  if  you  said  so,  the  world  would  laugh  at  you  ;  but 
your  parents  and  my  dear  Elza  would  weep  for  you.  Now, 
my  Elza  shall  never  weep  on  my  account,  and  never  shall 
your  aristocratic  parents  be  obliged  to  blush  for  the  daughter- 
in-law  whom  you  bring  into  their  house.  As  a  daughter-in- 
law  I  can  never  be  welcome  to  them  ;  hence,  they  could  never 
be  welcome  to  me  as  parents-in-law." 

"  Oh,  Eliza,  your  beauty,  your  angelic  purity  and  goodness 
would  surmount  their  resistance,  for  no  heart  is  able  to  with- 
stand you  ;  and  when  my  parents  are  once  acquainted  with 
you,  when  they  have  submitted  to  stern  necessity,  they  will 
soon  love  you,  and  fold  you  as  a  daughter  to  their  hearts." 

"  But  first  they  would  have  to  submit  to  stern  necessity, 
and  I  should  have  to  be  forced  upon  them,  that  they  might 
afterward  learn  to  love  me.  Much  obliged  to  you,  sir;  I  am 
only  a  peasant-girl,  but  I  have  my  pride  too,  and  will  never 
allow  myself  to  be  forced  upon  a  family,  but  will  only  take  a 
husband  whose  parents  would  come  to  meet  me  affection- 
ately, and  give  me  their  blessing  on  the  threshold  of  my  new 
home.  And  now  let  us  drop  the  subject,  and  tell  me  what  has 
happened  to  you  during  our  separation." 

"  You  see,  Eliza,  what  has  happened  to  me,"  said  Ulrich, 
mournfully.  "  After  your  divine  magnanimity  had  set  me 
free,  I  succeeded  in  passing  through  the  insurgent  country  to 
the  Bavarian  lines  and  re-entered  the  service.  We  fought 
and  suffered  a  great  deal,  and  at  length,  on  the  14th  of  Au- 
gust, I  was  made  prisoner  by  the  Tyrolese  at  the  battle  of 
Mount  Isel  and  taken  to  Innspruck.  However,  they  do  not 


THE   LOVERS.  409 

know  my  real  name  here,  for  I  did  not  want  the  news  of  my 
captivity  to  reach  my  parents  ;  I  preferred  that  they  should 
lament  me  as  killed  in  battle,  rather  than  as  a  prisoner  in  the 
hands  of  the  insurgents.  But  fate  decreed  that  it  should  be 
otherwise ;  I  am  no  longer  to  be  allowed  to  keep  my  mournful 
incognito  ;  I  am  to  repair  to  Munich  to  negotiate  there  an  ex- 
change of  the  prisoners  for  the  hostages  whom  our  troops  car- 
ried off." 

"  Your  uncle  and  my  Elza  are  among  the  hostages,"  ex- 
claimed Eliza.  "Oh,  sir,  if  you  really  think  that  you  are 
under  obligations  to  me,  if  you  have  not  forgotten  that  I  saved 
your  life,  pray  procure  the  release  of  your  dear  old  uncle,  and 
bring  him  back  hither  ;  for  he  has  indeed  a  hard  time  of  it  in 
Munich,  where  they  charge  him  with  treason,  and  where  even 
his  own  relatives  inveigh  bitterly  against  him.  This  gnaws 
at  his  heart,  and,  unless  released  speedily,  he  will  die  of 
grief." 

"  I  did  not  know  that  so  sad  a  fate  had  befallen  him,"  said 
Ulrich,  gently;  "Doninger  was  the  first  to  tell  me  of  it,  on 
bringing  me  the  papers,  and  conducting  me  hither.  But,  I 
confess,  in  my  intense  joy  on  meeting  you,  my  dear,  sweet 
Eliza,  my  ungrateful  heart  had  forgotten  my  old  uncle,  who 
gave  me  so  many  proofs  of  his  love  and  kindness,  and  treated 
me  for  months  as  a  son  at  his  house.  I  will  try  to  reward  his 
love  by  availing  myself  of  my  influential  connections  and  my 
whole  eloquence  to  bring  about  his  release  ;  I  will  go  myself 
to  the  king  to  intercede  in  his  behalf." 

"  But  you  must  bring  my  Elza  with  you  too,  sir,"  ex- 
claimed Eliza.  "  Oh,  I  implore  you,  by  all  that  is  sacred  and 
dear  to  you — " 

"  Then  implore  me  by  your  name,  by  your  sweet  face,"  he 
interrupted  her,  enthusiastically. 

u  I  implore  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,"  she  con- 
tinued, without  taking  any  notice  of  his  words,  "  bring  my 
Elza  back  to  me.  She  is  the  better  half  of  my  soul ;  we  grew  up 
together,  we  shared  all  joys  and  afflictions,  and  have  sworn  to 
shed  our  heart's  blood  and  die  for  each  other,  if  need  be,  and 
to  stand  by  each  other  in  faithful  friendship  to  the  last  day  of 
our  lives.  Now,  I  am  only  half  alive  when  my  Elza  is  not 
27 


410  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

with  me.    Therefore,  dear  Ulrich,  restore  my  Elza  to  me,  and 
I  will  thank  you,  and  bless  you,  and  love  you  as  a  brother." 

"As  a  brother!"  he  cried  mournfully.  ''But  I  do  not 
want  you  to  love  me  as  a  brother.  I  want  your  heart,  your 
whole  heart,  Eliza  ;  and  it  is  mine  in  spite  of  you— mine  ! 
But  you  are  vindictive,  and  cannot  forget  and  forgive;  and 
because  I  denied  and  misunderstood  you  once  in  my  blind 
stubbornness,  you  wish  to  wreak  vengeance  on  me,  drive  me 
to  despair,  and  make  me  unhappy  for  my  whole  life!  " 

"  I  ! "  she  exclaimed,  mournfully ;  '*  I  wish  to  make  you 
unhappy  ? " 

"Yes,  you,"  he  said  bitterly;  "you  see  my  sufferings,  and 
gloat  over  them  ;  you  feel  that  I  love  you  boundlessly,  and 
with  cold,  sneering  pride  you  try  to  resent  my  former  con- 
temptible haughtiness.  You  oppose  your  peasant  pride  to  my 
insensate  aristocratic  pride  ;  you  want  to.  make  me  go  mad  or 
die  heart-broken,  and  your  coolness  never  leaves  you  for  a 
moment,  and  my  grief  makes  no  impression  on  you  ;  for, 
when  I  am  dead,  you  will  be  able  to  exclaim  :  '  I  fought  for 
my  country  as  a  brave  daughter  of  the  Tyrol  !  I  killed  a 
Bavarian,  I  broke  his  heart  laughingly  ! ' ' 

"  You  lie,  I  shall  never  say  so  ! "  cried  Eliza,  in  an  out- 
burst of  generous  indignation  ;  "you  lie  if  you  think  me 
capable  of  so  miserable  a  revenge;  you  lie  if  you  believe 
that  I  have  a  cold  and  cruel  heart.  I  wish  I  had.  for  then  I 
should  not  suffer  what  I  am  suffering  now,  and  I  should  at 
least  be  able  to  forget  you.  You  really  charge  me  with  hav- 
ing a  cold  heart,  with  hating  and  despising  you  ?  Do  you  not 
see,  do  you  not  even  suspect  what  I  am  suffering  for  your 
sake  ?  Look  at  me,  then ;  see  how  pale  my  cheeks  are  ;  see 
how  dim  my  eyes  are  !  I  do  not  take  any  notice  of  it,  I  do 
not  look  at  myself  in  the  mirror — why  should  I,  and  for 
whom  ? — but  mother  tells  me  so  every  day,  and  weeps  for  me. 
And  why  am  I  so  pale  and  thin,  and  why  are  my  eyes  so 
dim?  Because  my  heart  is  full  of  grief  ;  because  I  have  no 
rest  day  or  night  :  because  there  is  in  my  heart  a  voice  which 
I  can  never  silence,  not  even  when  I  am  praying  or  kneeling 
in  the  confessional.  Do  you  think  I  am  grieving  for  the 
sake  of  the  country  or  the  bloody  war?  What  does  the 


THE   LOVERS.  411 

country  concern  me  ?  I  think  no  longer  of  it,  and  .vet  every 
battle  makes  me  tremble  ;  and  on  Hearing  the  booming  of 
artillery,  I  kneel  down  and  pray  with  tears  of  anguish  to  the 
Holy  Virgin.  Oh,  may  God  forgive  me  !  I  do  not  pray  for 
my  father,  nor  for  our  soldiers ;  I  pray  for  a  Bavarian,  I  pray 
for  you  ! " 

"  Eliza  !  "  exclaimed  Ulrich,  radiant  with  joy,  and  stretch- 
ing out  his  arms  toward  her,  '*  Eliza !  " 

"  Hush  !  "  she  said,  stepping  back  proudly,  "  do  not  speak. 
I  have  told  you  the  truth,  for  I  do  not  want  you  to  accuse  and 
curse  me,  when  I  am  blessing  you  every  day.  But  now  go, 
sir;  forget  what  I  have  said,  but  remember  me  always  as  one 
who  never  hated  you,  and  never  thought  of  revenging  herself 
upon  you." 

"  Eliza,"  said  Ulrich,  gravely,  taking  her  hand,  and  gazing 
deeply  into  her  eyes,  "  let  us  now  be  honest  and  frank  toward 
each  other.  Our  hearts  have  spoken  with  each  other,  and 
God  has  heard  them.  You  love  me,  and  I  love  you.  Do  you 
remember  what  I  said  to  you  when  taking  leave  of  you  on 
the  mountain  ? " 

"  I  do  not,  sir,"  she  whispered,  dropping  her  eyes. 

"  But  I  do,"  he  continued,  gravely  and  firmly.  "  I  said  to 
you :  '  I  will  go  now,  but  I  shall  return  and  ask  you  :  "  Do 
you  remember  me  ?  Will  you  become  my  wife  ? " '  Now, 
Eliza,  I  have  returned,  and  ask  you  as  I  asked  you  on  the 
mountain,  Eliza,  will  you  become  my  wife  ? " 

"  And  I  reply  as  1  replied  to  you  on  the  mountain,"  she 
said  solemnly.  *'  We  can  never  belong  to  each  other  as  hus- 
band and  wife,  but  we  can  remember  each  other  as  good 
friends.  And  so,  sir,  I  will  always  remember  you,  and  it 
will  always  gladden  my  heart  to  hear  that  you  are  well  and 
happy." 

"  Is  that  your  last  word  ? "  asked  Ulrich,  angrily. 

''Yes,  sir,  it  is  my  last  word/' 

"Then  you  are  intent  on  making  us  unhappy  ?"  he  cried, 
mournfully.  "Oh,  you  crystal-heart,  so  transparent  and 
clear,  so  hard,  so  hard  !  will  you  never,  then,  allow  yourself 
to  be  softened  by  the  sunbeams  of  love  ?  Will  they  always 
only  harden  your  heart  ? " 


412  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"I  cannot  act  otherwise,  sir,  I  assure  you  I  cannot,"  she 
said,  beseechingly. 

"  Well,  then,  I  cannot  act  otherwise  either,"  he  cried.  "  I 
shall  not  accept  this  mission,  I  shall  not  go  to  Munich,  1  shall 
stay  here." 

"  No,  no,  I  implore  you  to  go  ! "  exclaimed  Eliza.  "  Save 
my  imprisoned  countrymen ;  save,  above  all,  my  Elza  and  her 
father  !  Oh,  she  is  unhappy,  she  longs  for  her  home  ;  she  is 
•weeping  for  me,  for  you,  sir  !  Make  haste,  make  haste ;  have 
mercy  upon  Elza  and  myself  !  " 

"  Why  should  I  have  mercy  when  you  have  none  ? "  he 
asked,  quickly.  "  Let  the  prisoners  die  of  grief  ;  I  am  a  pris- 
oner too,  and  shall  know  also  how  to  die.  I  shall  not  leave 
Innspruck  unless  you  promise  me  that  you  will  become  my 
wife  on  my  return,  and  plight  me  your  faith  before  the  altar 
of  God.  I  swear  by  all  that  is  sacred  to  me,  I  will  not  leave 
this  city  unless  I  take  with  me  your  solemn  pledge  that  you 
will  overcome  your  pride  and  become  my  wife." 

"  Well,  then,"  she  said,  blushing  deeply,  "  go,  then.  Pro- 
cure my  Elza's  release,  bring  her  home,  and  then — " 

"  And  then  ? "  he  asked,  as  she  hesitated. 

"  Then  you  shall  receive  at  the  hands  of  the  priest  a  bride 
who  loves  you,  loves  you  with  infinite  tenderness,"  she  said,  in 
a  low  voice. 

He  uttered  a  cry  of  joy,  and  folded  her  to  his  heart.  But 
she  disengaged  herself  gently.  "  Make  haste  now,"  she  said  ; 
"  for  the  sooner  you  depart,  the  sooner  you  will  return." 

"  I  will  set  out  immediately,"  he  cried,  radiant  with  joy. 
"  But  swear  to  me,  Eliza,  that  I  shall  receive  immediately  on 
my  return,  even  though  it  should  be  early  in  the  morning,  at 
the  hands  of  the  priest,  my  bride — the  bride  who  loves  me 
with  infinite  tenderness." 

"  I  swear  by  the  Holy  Virgin,"  said  Eliza,  solemnly,  "  that 
if  you  bring  my  Elza  to  me  here,  you  shall  receive  your  bride 
at  the  hands  of  the  priest  on  the  day  of  your  return,  whether 
it  be  early  in  the  morning  or  late  at  night." 

"  Captain  Ulrich,"  shouted  Cajetan  Doninger,  opening  the 
door,  "  it  is  high  time  for  you  to  set  out.  The  carriage  has 
been  at  the  door  for  upward  of  an  hour." 


ELZA'S  RETURN.  4-13 

"  I  am  ready,"  said  Ulrich,  holding  out  his  hand  to  Eliza 
with  a  happy  smile.  "  Farewell,  Eliza  ;  I  shall  return  with 
your  Elza  in  two  weeks." 


CHAPTER  XXXVH. 
ELZA'S  RETURN. 

A  SPLENDID  festival  was  being  celebrated  at  Innspruck  on 
the  3d  of  October,  and  there  were  great  rejoicings  in  the  city. 
A  message  of  love  and  joy  had  reached  Innspruck  from  the 
headquarters  of  the  Emperor  Francis  at  Totis.  Three  of  the 
former  leaders  of  the  Tyrolese  insurrection,  who  had  escaped 
to  Austria  at  the  time  of  the  second  invasion  of  the  Bavarians 
— Sieberer,  Frischmann,  and  Eisenstecken — had  arrived  at 
Innspruck  as  couriers  of  the  emperor.  They  had  succeeded  in 
passing  through  Styria  and  Carinthia,  although  both  these 
provinces  were  occupied  by  French  troops,  and  had  safely  ar- 
rived at  Innspruck  amid  the  jubilant  acclamations  of  the 
population.  They  brought  cheering  news  from  the  Emperor 
Francis.  He  sent  to  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol,  his 
beloved  and  faithful  Andreas  Hofer,  a  large  gold  chain  and 
medal  containing  the  emperor's  portrait  ;  and  he  sent  also 
three  thousand  florins  as  a  gift  to  the  brave  sharpshooters. 
But  better  than  all  this  was  an  autograph  letter  from  the  em- 
peror, who  extolled  in  it  the  bravery  of  the  Tyrolese,  called 
upon  them  to  persevere  in  their  resistance,  and  promised  that 
Austria  would  succor  them  vigorously  with  money  and  troops. 
The  letter  stated  that  the  emperor  would  soon  dispatch  Baron 
von  Reschmann  with  funds  and  full  instructions  to  the  Tyrol, 
where  he  would  act  as  commissioner  and  intendant  of  the 
army,  and  that  the  Tyrolese  might  confidently  look  for  the 
speedy  resumption  of  hostilities. 

These  joyful  tidings  were  received  with  unbounded  en- 
thusiasm, and  Andreas  Hofer's  face  beamed  with  delight  when 
he  was  formally  invested  with  the  gold  medal  and  chain  in 
the  great  church  of  Innspruck,  at  the  foot  of  the  tomb  of 


414  ANDREAS  EOFER. 

Maximilian,  by  the  Abbot  of  Wiltau,  amid  the  tears  and  accla- 
mations of  a  vast  concourse  of  spectators-,  who  afterward,  pre- 
ceded by  the  municipal  authorities,  accompanied  him  in  sol- 
emn procession  to  the  imperial  palace.  Andreas  presented  a 
splendid  appearance  in  the  fine  gold-embroidered  uniform 
which  he  wore  to-day  in  honor  of  the  celebration,  in  place  of 
his  Tyrolese  costume  ;  his  heavy  gold  chain  and  the  medal 
with  the  emperor's  portrait,  glittered  under  his  fine  black 
beard  on  his  breast,  and  he  wore  a  black  hat  with  a  plume  and 
inscription  to  him  as  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol,  the 
gift  of  the  holy  sisterhood  of  Innspruck. 

Andreas  Hofer's  face  shone  with  happiness  as  he  walked 
along  in  this  manner  amid  the  acclamations  of  the  whole 
population  and  the  ringing  of  all  the  bells  ;  but  his  heart  was 
nevertheless  full  of  humility,  and  lifting  his  beaming  eyes  to 
heaven,  he  murmured  to  himself,  "  O  my  Lord  and  God,  Thou 
hast  accomplished  every  thing  ;  Thou  hast  protected  us  and 
vouchsafed  us  victory  !  Glory  to  Thee  alone  !  Preserve  me. 
0  Lord,  from  pride  and  arrogance,  and  let  me  recognize  al- 
ways that  I  am  nothing  but  Thy  unworthy  servant,  and  that 
Thou  alone  vouchsafest  us  victory  and  blessest  our  cause  ! " 

The  imperial  palace  was  festively  decorated  to-day,  and  a 
splendid  banquet  was  to  take  place  there  in  honor  of  the  cele- 
bration. All  the  functionaries  of  Innspruck  had  been  invited  ,• 
a  brilliant  ball  was  to  be  given  at  night  in  the  large  throne- 
hall,  and  the  beautiful  girls  of  Innspruck  were  to  dance  to  the 
inspiring  notes  of  the  orchestra  in  honor  of  the  festive  day. 
For  the  first  time  Andreas  Hofer  had  permitted  music  and 
dancing,  and  all  the  beautiful  girls  of  Innspruck  were  prepar- 
ing to  take  part  in  the  brilliant  festival  and  enjoy  the  rare 
amusement. 

All  faces  were  radiant ;  even  Eliza's  sweet  countenance 
was  lit  up  to-day  with  the  sunshine  of  happiness.  A  great  joy 
had  fallen  to  her  share  to-day,  for  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  had 
arrived  early  in  the  morning,  and  with  him  his  uncle,  old 
Baron  von  Hohenberg,  and  his  daughter  Elza.  Ulrich  had 
redeemed  his  promise  ;  precisely  two  weeks  had  elapsed  since 
his  departure,  and  now,  after  these  terrible  days  of  suspense, 
which  Eliza  had  passed  in  tears,  in  silence,  and  at  the  same 


ELZA'S   RETURN.  415 

time  in  mysterious  activity,  Ulrich  had  returned,  and  with  him 
Elza,  Eliza's  dearest  friend. 

Ulrich  had  looked  on  with  an  expression  of  quiet  happi- 
ness when  Eliza  embi'aced  her  Elza  again  and  again  with  tears 
of  joy  ;  she  knelt  down  repeatedly  by  the  side  of  the  couch  on 
which  had  been  laid  the  old  baron,  whose  strength  had  been 
utterly  exhausted  by  the  journey,  the  excitement,  and  the  suf- 
ferings he  had  endured  in  prison  ;  she  pressed  his  hands  to 
her  lips  tenderly,  and  withal  humbly,  and  thanked  God  that 
her  good  old  friend  and  her  Elza,  the  better  half  of  her  life, 
had  been  restored  to  her. 

But  after  this  impetuous  and  joyous  meeting,  the  old  baron 
felt  so  very  feeble  that  he  urgently  needed  repose  and  silence, 
and  Elza  had  to  conduct  him  to  the  bedroom  which  had  been 
prepared  for  him. 

Eliza  and  Ulrich  were  alone  now.  She  trembled,  and, 
wishing  to  avoid  this  t£te-&-t(}te,  glided  softly  to  the  door  ;  but 
Ulrich  hastened  after  her  and  seized  her  hand. 

''  Eliza,'1  he  said,  solemnly,  "  I  have  fulfilled  all  your  wish- 
es. I  have  brought  back  with  me  my  uncle  and  your  friend 
Elza  ;  the  King  of  Bavaria  accepted  the  exchange  which  I  of- 
fered ;  he  released  the  baron  and  his  daughter,  and  Andreas 
Hofer  sets  me  free  in  his  turn.  I  am.  therefore,  no  longer  a 
prisoner,  and  as  a  free  man  I  ask  you  now,  do  you  remember 
the  oath  you  swore  to  me  on  the  day  of  my  departure  ? " 

"  I  do,"  she  whispered  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Repeat  the  oath  to  me,"  he  said,  imperatively. 

"  My  oath  was  as  follows  :  '  I  swear  by  the  Holy  Virgin 
that,  if  you  bring  my  Elza  to  me  here,  you  shall  receive  your 
bride,  who  loves  you  with  infinite  tenderness,  at  the  hands  of 
the  priest.'" 

"  You  have  not  forgotten  the  words,  Eliza.  But  will  you 
fulfil  them  now  ? " 

"  You  insist  on  it  ?  "  she  asked,  looking  up  to  him  timidly 
and  mournfully. 

u  Yes,  I  do,"  he  said,  with  a  blissful  smile. 

"Well,  then,"  she  whispered,  almost  inaudibly,  "I  shall 
keep  my  oath." 

He  uttered  a  joyous  cry,  pressed  her  hand  to  his  lips,  and 


416  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

gazed  with  an  expression  of  infinite  tenderness  into  her  blush- 
ing, quivering  face. 

"  Oh,  do  not  tremble,  love,"  he  said  ;  "  do  not  look  anxious- 
ly into  the  future.  I  shall  know  how  to  protect  my  wife  from 
grief  and  humiliation.  To  make  you  happy  shall  be  my  sweet- 
est joy  ;  to  see  you  honored  and  recognized  by  society  will  be 
my  incessant  effort,  as  it  will  be  my  bounden  duty.  You  will 
fulfil  your  oath,  and  you  must  do  it  this  very  day.  Let  me 
go,  then,  and  get  a  priest ;  and  you,  my  sweet  girl,  place  a 
myrtle-wreath  on  your  head,  for  I  shall  call  for  you  soon  and 
conduct  you  triumphantly  to  the  great  church  of  Innspruck  ; 
for  our  marriage  shall  take  place  publicly  and  in  the  face  of 
the  whole  population." 

"  No,  sir,"  she  said,  shaking  her  head  gently.  "  I  will  re- 
deem my  promise,  but  I  beg,  nay,  I  implore  you,  permit  me  to 
make  all  necessary  arrangements,  and  let  me  have  for  once 
my  own  way." 

"  And  what  do  you  wish,  then,  beloved  ? " 

"  1  wish  that  no  one  should  learn  of  our  plan,  and  that  you 
should  conceal  it  all  day  long  from  every  one,  and  speak  of  it 
to  no  one,  neither  with  your  uncle,  nor  with  Elza,  nor  with 
Andreas  Hofer." 

"  But  how  am  I  to  get  a  priest  to  marry  us  ? " 

"  Leave  it  all  to  me,  sir.  I  will  get  a  priest.  I  have  con- 
fided only  to  my  dear  old  friend  Joachim  Haspinger,  the  Cap- 
uchin, who  was  lately  in  Innspruck,  what  would  take  place 
in  case  you  should  return  with  my  Elza,  and  he  promised  that 
he  himself  would  marry  us.  Accordingly,  on  being  informed 
this  morning  by  the  courier  of  your  speedy  arrival,  I  sent  at 
once  a  mounted  messenger  to  Father  Haspinger,  and  I  am  sure 
that  he  will  come  to  Innspruck  to-day." 

"  You  intended,  then,  to  redeem  your  promise  of  your  own 
accord  ! "  exclaimed  Ulrich,  joyfully  ;  "  you  thought  of  it 
without  being  reminded  of  it.  Oh,  I  thank  you,  my  Eliza,  for 
I  see  now  that  you  really  love  me." 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  really  love  you,"  said  Eliza,  solemnly.  "  You 
will  find  it  out  this  very  day.  Will  you  promise  me  now  to 
conceal  our  plan  from  every  one,  and  let  me  make  all  neces- 
sary arrangements  ? " 


ELZA'S  RETURN.  417 

"  I  do,  my  sweet  girl.  Tell  me  what  I  am  to  do,  and  I  will 
obey  you  silently  and  unconditionally." 

"  Well,  then,  dear  Ulrich,"  she  said,  in  a  tremulous  voice, 
"  come  to-night,  at  nine  o'clock,  to  the  chapel  here  in  the  im- 
perial palace.  As  a  witness,  I  hope  you  will  find  there  our 
dear  commander-in-chief,  Andreas  Hofer.  Father  Haspinger 
will  stand  before  the  altar,  and  your  betrothed  will  kneel  be- 
fore the  altar  too,  ready  to  become  your  wife,  and  love  and 
serve  you  all  her  life." 

"And  I  shall  find  there  my  betrothed,  to  whom  I  shall 
plight  my  faith  before  the  altar,  and  whom  I  will  love  and 
cherish  all  my  life  ! "  exclaimed  the  captain,  in  profound  emo- 
tion. 

She  bent  her  head  gently,  as  if  to  accept  his  solemn  vow. 
"  Then  you  will  come  to  the  chapel  at  nine  ? "  she  asked. 

"  I  will,"  he  said,  smilingly,  "  and  you  may  be  sure  that  I 
shall  be  promptly  on  hand.  I  shall  be  as  punctual  as  the  dig- 
ger after  a  hidden  treasure,  who  must  disinter  it  at  the  stated 
hour,  if  he  does  not  want  to  lose  it  entirely.  I  shall  be  at  the 
chapel  at  nine  o'clock." 

"  Very  well,  at  nine  o'clock.  And  now  farewell  until  then, 
sir.  I  have  a  great  deal  to  attend  to  yet  in  getting  up  the 
bridal  dress  and  ornaments,  for  I  do  not  want  you  to  be 
ashamed  of  me  to-day,  Ulrich.  Your  bride  must  not  look  like 
a  peasant-girl.  She  must  be  dressed  up  beautifully,  like  an 
aristocratic  lady — like  Elza,  for  instance." 

"  Dress  as  you  please,"  he  said,  smilingly,  "  but  do  not  be- 
lieve that  I  shall  ever  be  ashamed  of  the  peasant-girl,  and  try 
to  conceal  the  descent  of  my  sweet,  lovely  wife." 

"And  will  you  ride  with  me  to-morrow  to  my  father's 
house  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Will  you  present  yourself  to  my  father, 
Anthony  Wallner,  commander  of  the  Puster  valley,  as  his 
son-in-law  ?  Oh,  you  know  full  well,  Anthony  Wallner  is  a 
hero  ;  not  only  the  Tyrol,  but  all  Germany  is  familiar  with 
the  heroic  deeds  which  he  performed  at  the  battle  of  Taxen- 
bach  against  the  Bavarians.  He  has  taken  the  field  again, 
and,  after  joining  the  forces  under  Joseph  Speckbacher,  and 
Father  Haspinger,  he  will  attack  the  Bavarians  at  the  Pass  of 
Lueg,  and,  if  it  please  God,  defeat  them.  I  suppose,  Ulrich,  yov 


4-18  ANDREAS  HOFEli. 

will  accompany  me  to  my  father,  Anthony  Wallner,  and  ask 
your  father-in-law  to  give  you  his*  blessing  ? " 

"But  you  told  me  just  now,  Eliza,  that  he  is  not  at 
home?" 

"  Well,  then,"  she  exclaimed,  earnestly,  "  we  will  ride  to  the 
Pass  of  Lueg." 

Ulrich  was  silent,  and  looked  down  in  evident  confusion  ; 
he  did  not  see  that  Eliza  fixed  her  eyes  on  him  with  a  search- 
ing, mournful  expression. 

"Eliza,"  he  said,  after  a  pause,  lifting  his  head  slowly, 
"  you  possess  a  magnanimous  heart  and  a  delicate  soul.  Your 
heart  will  forgive  me,  therefore,  for  not  fulfilling  your  wish, 
and  your  soul  will  understand  that  I  cannot  fulfil  it.  Your 
father  is  the  commander  of  the  Tyrolese,  who  have  risen  in  re- 
bellion against  Bavaria,  and  he  is  fighting  against  the  Bavari- 
ans, my  countrymen  and  comrades.  I  have  recovered  my 
liberty,  but  I  had  to  swear  not  to  take  up  arms  again  during 
the  present  war  against  the  Tyrolese.  The  King  of  Bavaria 
permitted  me  to  take  this  oath,  and  ordered  me  to  return  to 
Munich,  where  I  am  to  remain  till  the  end  of  the  war.  I  must 
set  out  for  the  Bavarian  capital  to-morrow,  and  my  sweet,  be- 
loved wife  will  accompany  me.  After  the  war  is  over,  and 
when  there  is  peace  again  in  the  beautiful  Tyrol,  I  shall  return 
with  my  Eliza  to  her  home,  and  ask  my  father-in-law,  Anthony 
Wallner,  to  give  me  his  blessing.  I  shall  be  at  liberty  then  to 
praise  his  heroism  loudly,  and  love  and  honor  him  as  my  wife's 
father.  Do  you  understand  that  I  cannot  act  otherwise,  be- 
loved ? " 

"I  do,"  she  replied;  "I  do  understand  that  the  Bavarian 
Captain  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg  cannot  now  go  to  the  Tyrolese 
commander,  Anthony  Wallner,  ask  him,  while  he  is  fighting 
against  the  Bavarians,  to  bless  him.  and  call  him  father-in- 
law.  Let  us  leave  it  to  the  future  to  grant  us  peace  and  happi- 
ness.1' 

"You  understand  that  I  cannot  act  otherwise,"  he  said, 
anxiously.  "  But  you  are  sad  ?  I  see  a  cloud  on  your  fore- 
head, Eliza." 

"No,  not  a  cloud,"  she  exclaimed,  shaking  her  head. 
"  Every  thing  is  clear  in  my  mind,  and  I  see  distinctly  what  I 


ELZA'S   RETURN.  419 

must  do.  Come,  then,  to  the  chapel  at  nine  ;  every  thing  will 
be  in  readiness  there.'' 

"  You  will  be  there,  my  lovely  bride,"  exclaimed  Ulrich, 
blissfully,  opening  his  arms  to  her.  "  Oh,  do  not  avoid  me, 
Eliza  ;  you  are  mine  now,  your  place  is  on  my  heart,  do  not 
avoid  me  !  See,  I  am  submissive  and  obedient,  and  I  will  not 
take  what  you  do  not  give  me  of  your  own  accord.  But  give 
me  now  your  biidal  present,  Eliza  ;  give  me  the  first  kiss  of 
love!" 

"  No,  sir,"  she  said,  almost  anxiously  ;  "  on  the  wedding- 
day  no  pious  bride  must  desecrate  her  lips  by  kissing  or  par- 
taking of  food  before  going  to  the  altar.  Only  devout  thoughts 
should  fill  her  heart ;  and  she  ought  to  pray  and  implore  the 
saints  to  vouchsafe  happiness  to  her.  Let  me  go,  therefore, 
and  fulfil  my  sacred  duties." 

"  Yes,  my  sweet,  innocent  dove,  I  will  let  you  go,"  said  Ul- 
rich, gently.  "  Pray  to  God  and  the  saints  for  you  and  me, 
but  be  punctual  to-night." 

"  I  shall,  sir.  Now,  farewell.  Go  out  by  this  door,  for 
Elza  is  coming  to  me.  I  have  to  tell  her  a  great  many  things 
yet." 

"  She  will  know  your  secret  then  ?  You  will  confide  to  her 
what  I  am  not  to  betray  to  any  one  ?  " 

"No,  sir,  I  shall  tell  her  nothing  about  it.  No  one  but 
God  must  know  my  secret.  For  the  last  time,  then,  farewell, 
sir ! " 

"  Farewell,  Eliza  !  Oh,  give  me  your  hand  ! "  Let  me 
press  it  once  to  my  heart !  Oh,  fear  nothing,  Eliza,  my  un- 
holy lips  shall  not  desecrate  even  your  hand  to-day.  Now  I 
will  go,  my  child  ;  farewell  until  to-night,  my  sweet  love  !  " 

He  bowed  to  her  with  a  blissful  smile,  and  left  the  room 
quickly.  Eliza  looked  after  him,  motionless,  breathless,  listen- 
ing to  his  footsteps,  and  heaving  a  deep  sigh  when  they  died 
away  in  the  distance.  Then  she  laid  both  her  hands  convul- 
sively on  her  heart. 

"  Oh,  it  is  in  great  pain  !  "  she  murmured.  '*  It  seemed  at 
one  time  as  though  it  would  break,  and  as  though  I  should  die 
on  the  spot.  But  I  must  not  die,  nor  even  weep.  And  I  feel 
that  the  good  God  helps  me,  and  that  he  approves  of  what  I 


420  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

am  going  to  do.  It  was  God  Himself  who  prompted  me  to  ask 
Ulrich  if  he  would  accompany  me  to  my  father.  He  was 
obliged  to  reply  that  he  could  not  go  to  the  enemy,  though 
this  enemy  was  to  become  his  father-in-law.  When  he  told 
me  that,  my  heart  bridled  up,  and  was  once  more  glad  and 
strong.  I  knew  all  at  once  that  I  was  doing  right,  and  I  will 
carry  out  my  plan  to  the  bitter  end.  But  hush,  hush  !  here 
comes  Elza  !  I  must  put  on  a  cheerful  face  now." 

u  Lizzie,  my  Lizzie,  are  you  here  ? "  asked  Elza,  opening  the 
door. 

"  Yes,  here  I  am,  Elza,"  exclaimed  Eliza,  who  hastened  with 
a  smiling  face  to  her  friend. 

"  And  where  is  Ulrich  ?  Why  is  he  not  here  ?  Oh,  I  sat 
•with  such  a  throbbing  heart  at  father's  bedside  ;  I  longed  so 
much  for  him  to  fall  asleep  !  Oh,  Lizzie,  I  have  to.  tell  you  so 
many  things  !  Ah,  you  do  not  know  how  happy  I  was  during 
this  splendid,  charming  journey  !  To  be  always  by  Ulrich's 
side,  what  a  bliss  !  And  how  tenderly  and  attentively  he  took 
care  of  my  dear  old  father,  just  like  a  good,  grateful  son,  who 
would  like  to  guess  from  his  father's  eyes  every  wish  he 
might  entertain.  I  often  wept  tears  of  joy  on  seeing  him  sup- 
port my  father,  almost  carrying  him  into  the  carriage,  and 
arranging  his  seat  for  him,  and  on  hearing  him  comfort  the 
old  man  in  gentle  yet  manly  words.  Ulrich  did  not  speak  of 
God  and  the  saints,  and  yet  what  he  said  was  pious,  pious  as  a 
prayer  of  holy  charity.  Oh,  how  noble,  good,  brave,  and 
gentle,  Ulrich  is ! " 

"  And  you  love  him,  Elza,  do  you  not  ? " 

"Yes,  I  love  him  with  all  my  heart,  and  shall  for  ever- 
more. But  where  is  he  ?  Where  is  Ulrich  ?  Was  he  not 
with  you  ?" 

"  Hs  was,  Elza  ;  he  left  me  at  the  moment  when  you 
came." 

"  He  was  here  so  long  ?  And  what  did  you  speak  of  ?  Oh, 
tell  me,  Eliza,  what  did  you  speak  of  ? " 

"  Of  you,  Elza,"  said  Eliza,  with  a  wondrous,  radiant  ex- 
pression. 

"Ah,  of  me!"  exclaimed  Elza,  joyfully.  "Oh,  tell  me, 
Lizzie,  do  you  think  he  loves  me  ? " 


THE  WEDDING.  421 

"  I  do  not  believe  it,  Elza,  I  know  it  for  certain.  He  in- 
trusted me  with  an  important  commission  for  you,  and  asks  of 
you  a  great  proof  of  your  love.  Come,  Elza,  let  us  go  to  my 
room.  We  will  be  sure  there  not  to  be  overheard  by  any  one. 
I  will  tell  you  everything  there." 


CHAPTER  XXXVHI. 

THE  WEDDING. 

NIGHT  had  come,  and  the  people  of  Innspruck  had  not  yet 
set  bounds  to  their  rejoicings.  All  the  streets  were  brilliantly 
illuminated  ;  a  festive  performance  was  played  at  the  theatre, 
and  the  apartments  at  the  imperial  palace  began  to  fill  with 
the  guests  who  had  been  invited  to  the  ball. 

But  while  the  palace  was  shining  with  splendid  lustre  for 
the  first  and  last  time  during  the  reign  of  Andreas  Hofer,  one 
of  its  wings  had  remained  gloomy  and  silent.  It  seemed  as 
though  the  loud  voices  of  the  world  shrank  from  penetrating 
hither.  Even  the  sentinel  pacing  the  long,  deserted  corridor, 
trod  more  softly  and  crossed  himself  every  time  he  reached 
the  end  of  the  passage.  For  the  imperial  chapel  lay  at  the  end 
of  the  corridor  in  this  wing  of  the  palace,  and  through  the 
high  windows  there  one  could  look  down  upon  the  altar  and 
the  holy  lamp. 

The  sentinel  had  just  walked  up  the  corridor  once  more 
slowly  and  dreamily,  when  he  suddenly  saw  two  men  coming 
along.  He  stood  still  respectfully  and  presented  arms.  These 
two  men  were  Andreas  Hofer,  the  commander-in-chief,  and 
Old  Red-beard,  Joachim  Haspinger,  who  was  walking  by  his 
side,  in  his  brown  cowl  and  his  heavy  leather  shoes. 

On  approaching  the  sentinel,  Andreas  Hofer  stood  still  and 
nodded  kindly  to  him.  "  It  is  not  necessary  for  you,  Joe,  to 
stand  here  all  alone  and  present  arms.  I  know  you  are  one 
of  the  best  dancers  in  the  Passeyr  valley,  and  as  there  is  a  ball 
at  the  palace,  you  had  better  go  there  and  dance.  I  believe 
the  good  God  Himself  will  watch  over  His  chapel  here." 


4-22  ANDREAS   IIOFER. 

"  Much  obliged  to  you,  commander-in-chief — much  obliged 
to  you  ! "  exclaimed  the  soldier,  joyfully  ;  and  he  ran  down 
the  corridor  as  fast  as  his  feet  would  carry  him. 

"  How  gay  and  high-spirited  these  young  folks  are  ! " 
sighed  Hofer. 

"And  why  are  you  not  merry  too,  brother  Andy  ?"  asked 
the  Capuchin.  "  A  great  honor  was  conferred  upon  you  to- 
day ;  they  paid  you  homage  and  cheered  you  as  though  you 
were  the  Messiah.  The  whole  city  is  illuminated  for  your 
sake  to-night ;  at  the  theatre,  the  orchestra  played  flourishes 
three  times,  and  the  whole  audience  rose  the  moment  the 
commander-in-chief  entered  the  house.  But  scarcely  had  the 
morose  hero  been  there  a  quarter  of  an  hour  when  he  sneaked 
off  again.  I  followed  him  stealthily,  and  found  him  at  last  in 
his  office  ;  and  while  the  whole  city  is  rejoicing,  he  sits  at  the 
table  covered  with  papers,  and  weeps  big  tears  into  his 
beard  ! " 

"  But  I  told  you,  brother,  that  couriers  had  arrived  from 
the  valley  of  the  Adige,  and  informed  me  that  the  prospects 
of  our  cause  are  very  gloomy  there.  The  people  are  split  up 
into  factions,  which  are  engaged  in  bitter  wranglings.  How 
can  I  rejoice  at  the  extraordinary  honors  paid  to  me,  when 
there  are  such  dark  spots  in  the  country  ? "  * 

"Do  not  think  of  that  now,  Andy.  The  Lord  has  helped 
us  hitherto,  and  He  will  help  us  henceforward  ;  for  our  cause 
is  just,  and  no  enemy  is  able  to  stand  up  against  it." 

"  And  do  you  think,  brother,  that  what  we  are  going 
to  do  now  is  also  good  and  just  ? "  asked  Hofer,  hesitat- 
ingly. 

"  Yes,  I  do,  Barbone.  Lizzie  Wallner  is  a  noble,  brave  girl, 
and  the  good  God  and  His  angels  love  her." 

"  Well,  if  you  say  so,  brother  Capuchin,  it  must  be  all 
right ;  for  you  are  a  priest  of  the  Lord,  and  would  certainly 
not  consent  to  cheat  God  in  so  holy  a  place." 

"  God  cannot  be  cheated,"  said  the  Capuchin,  solemnly  ; 
"  only  short-sighted  man  can.  Now,  Lizzie  Wallner  has  keen 
eyes  and  a  pure  heart ;  hence  she  looks  into  the  future,  and 

*  Andreas  Hofer's  own  words.— See  "  Bilder  und  Erinnerungen  SIM  Tyrols 
Freiheitskampfen  von  1609,"  by  Loritza,  p.  13. 


THE  WEDDING.  423 

sees  what  the  short-sighted  Bavarian  cannot  see,  and  helps 
him  and  herself  to  escape  from  the  abyss  into  which  both  of 
them  would  otherwise  fall.  She  is  a  genuine  heroine,  and  J 
am  proud  and  fond  of  her.  Otherwise  I  shculd  not  have 
come  to  Innspruck  to-day.  I  came  only  for  her  sake  and  at 
her  urgent  request.  We  are  exceedingly  busy  at  the  earth- 
works near  the  Pass  of  Lueg,  and  look  from  day  to  day  for 
the  Bavarians  to  attack  us.  Hence  I  must  return  there  this 
very  night,  that  I  may  be  with  our  men  to-morrow  in  case 
there  should  be  a  fight." 

"  God  grant  that  you  may  be  victorious  ! "  sighed  Andreas. 
"But  hark  !  the  clock  strikes  nine,  and  the  sexton  is  already 
lighting  the  candles  on  the  altar." 

"But  he  has  been  instructed  to  light  only  two  of  them,  lest 
there  should  be  too  much  light,"  said  the  Capuchin.  "  Let  us 
go  down  now,  brother  Andreas,  and  do  not  forget  what  you 
have  to  do.  When  the  bride  enters  by  the  small  side-door, 
you  go  to  meet  her,  take  her  hand,  and  conduct  her  to  the 
altar.  After  they  are  married,  you  offer  her  your  hand  again 
and  beg  of  her  permission  to  accompany  her  to  the  door  of  her 
room." 

"  All  right,  I  will  do  so,"  said  Andreas.  "  Come,  let  us  go 
down  to  the  chapel." 

A  dim  twilight  reigned  in  the  small  chapel.  Only  two  of 
the  tall  wax-lights  burned  on  the  altar,  and  shed  their  flicker- 
ing rays  on  the  vigorous  form  of  the  Capuchin,  who  was 
standing  in  front  of  it,  and  praying  in  a  low  voice  with 
clasped  hands.  Close  to  him,  near  the  steps  of  the  altar,  stood 
Andreas  Hofer.  his  head  bent  down,  and  his  hands  clasped  on 
the  small  crucifix  which  was  to  be  seen  about  his  neck  by  the 
side  of  the  gold  medal  and  chain. 

Footsteps  were  heard  now  in  the  aisle  of  the  chapel,  and  a 
tall  man  in  dark  civilian's  dress  approached  the  altar.  An- 
dreas Hofer  drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height  and  went  to 
meet  him. 

"  God  bless  you,  Captain  Ulrich  ! "  he  said,  kindly  ;  "  I 
hope  you  will  accept  me  as  witness  of  your  marriage." 

"  I  thank  you,  commander-in-chipf,  for  consenting  to  be 
our  witness,"  said  Ulrich,  cordially ;  "and  I  thank  you  also, 


424  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

Father  Haspinger,  for  coming  to  Innspruck  from  such  a  dis- 
tance to  marry  us." 

"  I  come  whenever  Eliza  Wallner  calls  me  and  needs  me," 
said  the  Capuchin,  solemnly. 

A  small  side-door  now  opened,  and  a  female  form  in  a  long 
white  silk  dress  came  in.  Her  head  was  covered  and  con- 
cealed with  a  white  veil,  which  surrounded  her  whole  form 
like  a  cloud,  and  flowed  down  to  the  ground.  On  her  head, 
over  the  veil,  she  wore  the  diadem  of  the  virgin  and  hride,  a 
blooming  myrtle-wreath. 

While  Andreas  Hofer  went  to  meet  her  and  took  her  hand 
to  conduct  her  to  the  altar,  Ulrich  contemplated  her  with  a 
throbbing  heart,  and  unutterable  bliss  filled  his  bosom. 

"  She  has  kept  her  word,"  he  thought;  "  she  has  doffed  the 
costume  of  the  Tyrolese  girls  and  thereby  divested  herself  of 
her  whole  past.  Oh,  how  splendid  her  form  looks  in  this 
dress  ;  she  seems  taller  and  prouder,  and  yet  so  lovely  and 
sweet." 

He  gazed  at  her  as  she  approached  slowly  with  a  light  spring- 
ing step,  leaning  on  Andreas  Hof er's  arm ;  he  saw  only  her ! 
He  did  not  hear  a  door  opening  softly  yonder  in  the  vestry, 
which  contained  several  latticed  windows  ;  he  did  not  see  the 
dark  female  form  which  approached  the  windows,  and  whose 
pale  face  looked  out  for  a  moment  and  then  disappeared  has- 
tily. He  saw  only  her,  his  beloved,  his  bride,  who  stood  now 
by  his  side,  whose  hot,  trembling  hand  now  rested  in  his 
own,  and  who  returned  gently  the  tender  pressure  of  his 
hand. 

And  now  Father  Haspinger  raised  his  voice  and  spoke  in 
devout  and  impressive  words  to  the  bride  and  bridegroom  of 
the  solemnity  of  this  sacred  hour,  of  the  importance  of  the 
union  which  they  were  about  to  enter  upon  before  God,  and 
of  the  sacred  duties  the  fulfilment  of  which  they  were  to  vow 
before  the  altar. 

"  And  now  I  ask  you,  Captain  Ulrich  von  Hohenberg,"  he 
said,  in  a  loud  voice,  "  will  you  take  your  betrothed  here  for 
your  wife,  and  love  and  cherish  her  all  your  life  long  ?" 

He  replied  in  a  loud,  joyous  voice,  "Yes." 

"  And  you,  young  maiden,"  added  the  Capuchin,  "  will  you 


THE  WEDDING.  425 

take  your  betrothed  here  for  your  husband,  and  love  and  cher- 
ish him  all  your  life  long  ? " 

Alow,  timid  "Yes"  fell  from  her  lips.  Stifled  sobs  and 
groans  resounded  in  the  direction  of  the  vestry. 

"  Join  hands,  then,"  said  the  Capuchin,  solemnly,  "  and  let 
me  exchange  your  rings  in  token  of  your  union.  I  marry 
you  now  in  the  name  of  God,  and  henceforth  you  are  man 
and  wife.  What  God  hath  joined  together,  let  not  man  put 
asunder.  Kneel  down  now  and  receive  the  benediction." 

The  bride  and  bridegroom  knelt  down  hand-in-hand  before 
the  altar  ;  the  concealed  woman  knelt  down  in  the  vestry 
alone,  trembling  and  quivering  with  anguish. 

When  the  benediction  had  been  given  and  the  bride  and 
bridegroom  rose,  she  rose  likewise  from  her  knees.  "Holy 
Virgin,"  she  prayed  in  a  low  voice,  "give  me  strength  now  ! 
Thou  beholdest  my  heart,  and  seest  what  I  am  suffering  ! 
Oh,  be  with  me  in  Thy  mercy,  and  give  me  strength  and  con- 
stancy !" 

The  ceremony  was  over  now,  and  Andreas  Hofer  ap- 
proached the  bride. 

"As  your  father  was  prevented  from  being  present,"  he 
said,  "  permit  me  to  take  his  place  and  conduct  you  to  your 
room.  I  suppose  you  do  not  object  to  it,  Captain  Ulrich  ! " 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  taking  the  place 
of  my  sweet  bride's  father.  Lead  the  way,  I  will  follow  you." 

"No,  sir,  wait  a  moment,"  exclaimed  Father  Haspinger, 
solemnly.  "  I  must  speak  a  few  words  with  you  privately." 

"  And  I  have  to  thank  you  for  your  kindness  in  coming  to 
our  wedding,"  said  Ulrich,  standing  still  in  front  of  the 
altar,  and  following  only  with  his  eyes  his  bride,  who  was  just 
leaving  the  chapel  with  Andreas  Hofer  by  the  side-door. 

"  Captain  Ulrich,"  said  the  Capuchin,  after  the  door  had 
closed  behind  the  two,  "  I  have  complied  with  Eliza  Wallner's 
request,  and  married  you  to  your  betrothed.  You  are  now 
man  and  wife,  and  nothing  but  death  can  separate  you  from 
your  wife.  Do  not  forget  this,  sir.  But  will  you  also  do  what 
I  am  now  about  to  ask  of  you  ? " 

"  I  promise  to  do  it,  if  it  be  in  my  power." 

"  In  the  vestry  yonder  is  one  who  wishes  to  see  you.  Go  to 
28 


426  ANDREAS  HOFEB. 

her.  But  promise  me  by  all  that  is  sacred  to  you  that  you  will 
listen  to  her  calmly  ;  that,  whatever  she  may  say  to  you,  you 
will  not  inveigh  against  her  ;  and  that  you  will  overcome 
your  heart  and  submit  like  a  brave  man  to  that  which  cannot 
be  helped." 

•'  I  do  not  comprehend  what  you  mean,"  said  Ulrich,  smil- 
ingly, "  but  I  promise  to  submit  like  a  brave  man  to  that  which 
cannot  be  helped." 

"  Go,  then,  to  the  vestry,"  said  Father  Haspinger  ;  "  I  will 
leave  the  chapel,  for  no  one  except  God  should  hear  what  she 
has  to  say  to  you." 

He  bowed  to  Ulrich,  and  quickly  walked  down  the  passage 
to  the  large  door  of  the  chapel.  Ulrich  hastened  to  the  vestry, 
and.  opening  the  door,  murmured  to  himself:  "  What  a  strange 
mystery  !  Who  can  await  me  here  ? " 

"  I  await  you  here,  sir,"  said  a  low,  tremulous  voice. 

Ulrich  looked  up,  and  stared  at  her  who  stood  before  him 
with  clasped  hands  and  gazed  at  him  with  beseeching  eyes. 

"Eliza  I"  he  exclaimed,  starting  back  with  a  cry  of  horror; 
"  Eliza,  you  are  here  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  am  here,"  she  said  ;  "  I  am  here  to  implore  your 
forgiveness." 

"  My  forgiveness  ?"  he  asked,  trembling,  and  pressing  both 
his  hands  to  his  temples.  "  My  God !  my  head  swims — I  be- 
lieve I  shall  go  mad !  Eliza  is  here,  she  stands  before  me  in 
her  peasant  costume,  and  she  left  me  only  a  few  moments  ago 
in  a  white  bridal  dress,  and  with  a  myrtle-wreath  on  her  head. 
What  does  this  quick  transformation  mean,  and  how  was  it 
possible  ?  " 

"  It  is  no  transformation,  sir,"  said  Eliza,  bashfully.  "  I  am 
Eliza  Wallner,  the  peasant-girl,  and  she  who  left  you  in  the 
chapel  is  your  wedded  wife,  the  young  Baroness  von  Hohen- 
berg-" 

"  You  are  my  wedded  wife,  you  alone  ? "  he  cried,  impetu- 
ously. 

"  No,  sir,  I  am  not ! " 

"  You  are  not  ? "  he  cried,  vehemently.  "  And  who  is  she 
who  went  from  me  there  ? " 

"  She  is  your  wife,  who  loves  you  with  all  her  heart,"  said 


THE   WEDDINt  427 

Eliza,  solemnly  ;  "  she  is  the  wife  whom  your  parents  selected 
for  you  from  your  earliest  youth  ;  she  is  Elza  von  Hohen- 
berg." 

Ulrich  uttered  a  cry  of  rage  and  despair,  and  rushed  upon 
Eliza  with  uplifted  hand,  pale  as  a  corpse,  and  with  flashing 
eyes. 

She  bent  her  head  and  whole  form  before  him.  "  Strike 
me,  I  deserve  your  anger,"  she  said,  humbly. 

Ulrich  dropped  his  arm  with  a  groan.  u  Then  you  have 
cheated  me,  wretched  girl  ! "  he  cried,  f  uriqusly.  "  You  wished 
to  revenge  yourself  on  me,  you  lied  to  me,  you  betrayed  me, 
you  enmeshed  me  with  hypocritical  falsehoods,  and  played  an 
infamous  game  with  me !  Well,  why  do  you  not  laugh  ?  Your 
efforts  were  successful,  you  have  revenged  yourself.  Oh,  I  am 
in  despair  ;  my  rage  and  grief  will  break  my  heart.  Why  do 
you  not  laugh  ? " 

"  I  do  not  laugh,  sir,  because  I  see  that  you  grieve,  and  be- 
cause God  knows  that  I  would  give  up  my  heart's  blood  to 
spare  you  an  hour  of  suffering." 

He  burst  into  scornful  laughter.  "And  yet  you  have 
treated  me  so  infamously  ?  You  have  played  a  miserable 
comedy  with  me,  and  perjured  yourself  ?" 

"  Sir,  I  have  not  perjured  myself,"  cried  Eliza.  "  I  have 
fulfilled  faithfully  the  oath  I  swore  to  you  when  you  took 
leave  of  me  and  went  to  procure  my  Elza's  release." 

*'  You  have  fulfilled  it  ?  False  girl !  repeat  your  oath  to 
me,  that  I  may  convict  you  of  perjury." 

*'I  said  that  if  you  would  bring  back  Elza,  you  should  re- 
ceive your  bride,  who  loved  you  with  infinite  tenderness,  at 
the  hands  of  the  priest,  whether  it  was  early  in  the  morning 
or  late  at  night ! " 

"  Well,  then,  have  you  fulfilled  your  oath  ?  Have  you  not 
perjured  yourself  ? " 

"  I  have  fulfilled  my  oath ;  I  have  not  perjured  my- 
self. Elza  loves  you,  sir  ;  she  loves  you  with  infinite  tender- 
ness." 

"  Oh,  what  miserable,  insidious  sophistry  ! "  cried  Ulrich, 
sinking  despairingly  on  a  chair.  "  Your  words  were  as  full 
of  duplicity  as  your  heart  is  ;  and  I,  poor,  short-sighted  dupe, 


428  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

believed  your  words  !  And  not  you  alone,  but  Elza,  too, 
has  cheated  me — she  whom  I  loved  as  a  sister,  and  whom  1 
should  have  loved  even  better,  if  you  had  not  stepped  in  be- 
tween us,  if  I  had  not  seen  you.  Elza  has  betrayed  me  too ; 
she  did  not  shrink  from  playing  so  unworthy  a  part  !  Oh,  it 
will  break  my  heart,  it  will  break  my  heart ;  I  lose  in  this 
hour  all  that  I  loved  !  Nothing  remains  to  me  but  contempt, 
scorn,  and  dreadful  loneliness  !  " 

He  buried  his  face  in  his  hands  and  wept  bitterly. 

"Sir,"  exclaimed  Eliza,  with  a  cry  of  despair,  kneeling 
down  before  him,  "  you  weep  ? " 

u  Yes,  I  weep,"  he  sobbed  ;  "  I  weep  for  my  fallen  angels, 
my  lost  paradise  !  I  am  a  man;  therefore  I  am  not  ashamed 
of  my  tears." 

Eliza  lifted  her  eyes  and  clasped  hands  to  heaven.  "  Holy 
Virgin,"  she  exclaimed,  "  give  strength  to  my  words,  that  he 
may  hear  and  understand  me  ! " 

She  rose  from  her  knees,  stepped  close  up  to  Ulrich,  and 
laid  her  hand  on  his  shoulder.  "  Sir,"  she  said,  "  do  you  re- 
member yet  what  I  said  to  you  on  taking  leave  of  you  on  the 
mountain  ?  I  reminded  you  of  it  the  other  day,  but  you  for- 
got it  again.  I  said  to  you  :  '  You  are  a  nobleman,  and  I  am 
a  peasant-girl ;  you  are  a  Bavarian,  and  I,  thank  God,  am  again 
an  Austrian.  We  do  not  suit  each  other,  and  can  never  be- 
come husband  and  wife.'  That  is  what  I  said  to  you,  and 
I  repeated  it  to  you  the  other  day,  but  you  would  not  under- 
stand it." 

"  Because  I  loved  you,  Eliza :  because  I  felt  that  my  love 
would  be  strong  enough  to  surmount  all  obstacles  !  " 

"  Was  your  love  strong  enough  to  prevail  on  you,  sir,  to 
go  to  my  father,  Anthony  Wallner,  and  ask  him  to  bless  you, 
his  son-in-law  ?  See,  I  asked  you  to  do  so,  because  I  knew 
that  you  would  refuse,  and  because  I  thought  it  would  con- 
vince you  that  we  could  never  become  man  and  wife  and 
ought  to  part.  For  without  the  blessing  of  my  parents  I 
could  never  follow  a  husband  into  the  world  ;  nor  would  you 
want  a  wife  who  did  not  bring  with  her  either  the  blessing  of 
her  parents  or  that  of  your  own,  for  you  are  a  good  and  ex- 
cellent man.  That  was  the  reason,  sir,  why  we  could  not 


THE   WEDDING.  429 

become  man  and  wife,  even  though  it  should  break  our 
hearts." 

"  Our  hearts  ? "  he  cried,  impetuously.  "  Do  not  speak  of 
your  heart;  it  is  cold  and  hard." 

"  What  do  you  know  about  my  heart  ? "  she  asked.  "  I  do 
not  bear  it  on  my  lips,  nor  in  my  eyes  either.  It  rests  deep 
in  my  bosom,  and  God  alone  sees  and  knows  it.  But  I,  sir, 
know  another  heart ;  I  gazed  deeply  into  it,  and  discovered  in 
it  the  most  fervent  love  for  you,  sir.  This  other  heart  is  that 
of  my  Elza:  Elza  loves  you  !  And  you  know  that  I  love  Elza, 
and  therefore  you  must  believe  me,  even  though  you  distrust 
me  in  other  respects.  I  shall  love  my  Elza  as  long  as  I  live, 
and  I  swore  to  her  never  to  abandon  her,  never  to  deceive 
her.  She  confides  in  me,  sir ;  she  did  not  conceal  from  me  a 
single  fold  of  her  heart.  Should  I  have  told  her,  'Captain 
Ulrich,  whom  you  love,  and  whom  your  father  wants  to  be- 
come your  husband,  loves  me;  and  I,  whom  you  call  your 
best  friend,  although  she  is  but  a  peasant-girl,  while  you  are 
the  daughter  of  a  nobleman,  will  take  your  lover  from  you 
and  make  him  my  husband  ? '  No,  sir,  never  could  I  have 
said  so ;  never  should  I  have  been  capable  of  breaking  Elza's 
heart :  I  preferred  to  break  my  own  ! " 

"  She  does  not  know  that  I  love  you  ?  She  ought  to  have 
known  it,  inasmuch  as  she  consented  to  play  this  unworthy 
part  and  take  your  place  before  the  altar. " 

"  She  did  not  know  any  thing  about  it ;  I  deceived  her.  I 
told  her  you  sent  me  as  a  love-messenger  to  her,  and  that  I 
had  taken  it  upon  myself  to  obtain  her  consent  to  a  clandes- 
tine marriage  with  you,  because  you  were  obliged  to  set  out 
for  Munich  this  very  night,  and  because  you  wished  to  take 
with  you  the  certainty  that  she  would  be  yours  forever,  and 
that  you  might  have  the  right  of  protecting  her  after  God  had 
taken  her  father  from  her  and  made  her  an  orphan.  Sir, 
Elza  loves  you,  and  therefore  she  consented,  and  became  your 
wife." 

"  And  her  father  ?  Did  he,  too,  consent  to  the  decep- 
tion?" 

"  Her  father,  sir,  is  very  sick,  and  I  believe  he  is  on  his 
death-bed.  Elza  told  him  nothing  of  it,  for  the  excitement 


430  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

the  joy  might  have  killed  him.  I  told  her  it  was  your  will 
that  she  should  be  silent ;  and  because  she  loves  you  and 
would  comply  with  all  your  wishes,  she  was  silent,  obeyed 
your  call,  and  came  all  alone  to  the  altar  to  become  your 
wife." 

u  My  wife  !  she  is  not  my  wife !  The  marriage  is  null  and 
void,  and  I  shall  never  acknowledge  it. " 

''  Elza  is  your  wife,  sir,  your  wife  before  God  and  man.  A 
priest  married  you,  and  you  swore  before  the  altar  to  love 
and  cherish  her.  Oh,  sir,  I  beseech  you,  do  not  repudiate  my 
Elza,  for  she  loves  you ;  and  by  repudiating  Elza  you  will  re- 
pudiate me,  for  Elza  is  the  better  half  of  my  heart.  In  mak- 
ing her  happy,  think  that  you  make  me  happy ;  and  in  loving 
her,  think  I  feel  that  you  love  me ! " 

"  Oh,  Eliza,"  cried  Ulrich,  gazing  at  her  as  she  stood  be- 
fore him  with  a  glowing  countenance,  "  Eliza,  you  angel,  why 
can  I  not  possess  you  ? " 

"  Because  it  is  not  God's  will,  sir  !  '  The  blessing  of  the 
parents  builds  houses  for  the  children,'  says  the  proverb  ; 
hence  we  could  not  build  a  house,  sir,  for  we  had  not  the 
blessing  of  our  parents.  Now  you  have  it,  Elza  brings  it  to 
you,  and  she  brings  you  love,  sir,  and  happiness.  No,  do  not 
shake  your  head;  she  brings  you  happiness.  You  do  not  be- 
lieve it  now,  for  your  heart  grieves,  and  he  who  has  such  a 
wound  thinks  that  it  never  will  heal.  But  love  is  a  good  sur- 
geon. Elza  will  dress  your  heart  and  heal  it." 

u  And  your  heart,  Eliza,  will  it  heal,  too  ?  For  your  heart 
has  likewise  a  wound,  and,  whatever  you  may  say  to  the  con- 
trary, you  loved  me." 

"I  loved  you!"  she  exclaimed.  "No,  say  rather  I  still 
love  you  !  If  I  had  not  loved  you,  should  I  have  been  strong 
enough  to  withstand  your  supplications  and  resist  my  own 
heart  in  order  to  secure  your  happiness  ?  Oh,  be  happy,  then, 
— be  happy  through  me  and  for  my  sake  !  Fold  Elza  to  your 
heart,  love  her  and  let  her  love  you  :  and  when  in  future 
days,  happy  in  Elza's  arms,  and  surrounded  by  her  sweet 
children,  you  remember  the  past  and  it?  grief  smilingly,  do 
not  forget  me,  but  say,  '  Lizzie  was  right  after  all !  She  loved 
me  f  aithf  ully ! ' " 


THE   WEDDING.  431 

"  Faithfully  ? "  he  asked,  bursting  into  tears.  "  Your  heart 
will  heal  likewise,  Eliza  ;  you  will  forget  me  in  the  arms  of 
another  husband." 

"  No,  sir  I  My  heart,  I  hope,  will  heal,  but  God  alone  will 
heal  it,  and  no  other  husband.  I  am  not  able  to  love  another 
man,  and  I  believe,  moreover,  I  have  something  else  to  do. 
The  fatherland  needs  brave  hands,  and  1  belong  to  my  father- 
land and  my  father.  We  shall  have  war  again,  sir,  war  with 
the  Bavarians.  Thank  God,  you  will  not  be  among  our  ene- 
mies !  I  shall  carry  our  wounded  out  of  the  thickest  of  the 
fight,  and  nurse  them  ;  and  if  a  bullet  hits  me,  well,  then,  I 
shall  die  for  the  fatherland,  and  it  will  gladden  your  heart, 
also,  to  hear  that  Lizzie  Wallner  died  as  a  brave  daughter  of 
the  Tyrol.  I  pray  God  to  let  me  die  in  this  manner.  Amen ! 
But  now,  sir,  go  to  your  young  bride.  She  will  be  wonder- 
ing already  at  your  long  absence.  Oh,  go  to  her,  sir,  and  be 
kind  and  loving  to  her  ;  let  her  never  suspect  what  has  taken 
place  between  us,  and  that  you  did  not  marry  her  of  your 
own  accord." 

"  I  cannot  dissemble,  Eliza  ;  I  cannot  turn  my  heart  like 
a  glove." 

"Do  I  ask  you  to  do  so?  Have  you  not  always  loved 
Elza  ?  Love  her  now,  then :  love  her  for  my  sake,  love  me  in 
her!  Go,  sir;  Elza  is  waiting  for  you.  I  shall  go  too.  Our 
good  Haspinger  is  waiting  for  me,  and  I  shall  go  with  him  to 
my  father.  "We  shall  never  meet  again,  and  therefore  I  will 
give  you  now  my  wedding-present.  You  asked  me  for  it  this 
morning,  and  I  refused ;  but  now  I  will  give  it  to  you  volun- 
tarily. Close  your  eyes,  sir.  for  you  must  not  see  what  I  give 
you;  and  do  not  open  them  until  I  tell  you  to." 

u  I  will  close  my  eyes,  Eliza,  but  I  shall  see  you  neverthe- 
less in  my  heart." 

She  glided  up  to  him  with  a  noiseless  step.  Faithful  to 
his  word,  he  had  closed  his  eyes  firmly.  She  gazed  at  him 
long  and  tenderly,  as  if  to  engrave  his  features  deeply  on  her 
heart;  then  she  bent  over  him  and  imprinted  a  kiss  on  his 
forehead. 

"  God  bless  you,  Ulrich,"  she  whispered,  and  kissed  his  fore- 
head once  more.  "  Farewell ! " 


432  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

And  before  lie  was  able  to  prevent  it,  or  even  know  it,  she 
glided  to  the  small  door  leading  from  the  vestry  into  the 
street. 

Ulrich  heard  the  jar  of  the  door,  and  opened  his  eyes. 
Eliza  stood  in  the  open  door,  and  cast  a  last,  parting  glance  on 
him.  Joachim  Haspinger  stood  behind  her. 

•'  Eliza,"  cried  Ulrich,  hastening  to  her,  "  you  will  leave 
me?" 

He  would  have  seized  her  hand,  but  Haspinger  stepped 
between  them.  *'  Go  to  your  bride,  sir,"  he  said,  imperatively. 
"  Eliza  will  accompany  me  and  go  to  her  father  ! " 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE. 

THE  Emperor  Francis  was  still  at  Prince  Lichtenstein's 
castle  of  Totis,  in  Hungary,  but  for  some  days  past  there  had 
no  longer  reigned  there  the  profound  silence  and  calm  mo- 
notony which  had  prevailed  during  the  first  days  of  the  im- 
perial sojourn.  Couriers  came  and  went,  equipages  rolled 
up,  and  conveyed  to  the  castle  some  of  the  Austrian  diploma- 
tists, with  whom  the  emperor  conversed  a  long  while  in 
his  cabinet,  whereupon  they  departed  again.  Even  Baron 
von  Thugut,  the  all-powerful  ex-minister,  had  been  drawn 
from  his  tranquil  retirement,  and  called  to  the  headquarters 
of  the  Emperor  Francis  at  Totis.  Francis  had  locked  himself 
up  with  him  in  his  cabinet,  and  conversed  with  him  in  so  low 
a  tone  that  Hudelist,  although  he  had  applied  his  ear  to  the 
keyhole,  had  been  unable  to  hear  a  single  word  of  importance  ; 
and  the  emperor  was  so  reticent  as  to  the  subject  of  his  con- 
versation with  Thugut,  that  the  Empress  Ludovica,  although, 
after  Thugut's  departure,  she  had  sought  frequently  to  fathom 
the  meaning  of  his  presence  there  in  her  interviews  with  the 
emperor,  did  not  receive  the  slightest  information  from  her 
husband. 

Great  commotion  reigned  at  Castle  Totis  already  early  in 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE.  433 

the  morning  of  the  12th  of  October.  Prince  Lichtenstein  had 
arrived  in  the  first  place,  and  Count  Bubna  had  come  soon 
afterward.  The  emperor  had  gone  with  the  two  diplomatists 
to  his  cabinet ;  they  had  left  it  several  hours  afterward,  and 
departed  immediately. 

Count  Metternich  had  likewise  arrived  at  Totis,  and  re- 
paired at  once  to  the  emperor's  rooms.  The  count  ordered 
the  footman  in  the  anteroom  to  announce  him  to  his  majesty, 
but  the  servant  shook  his  head  with  a  polite  smile. 

"  It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  announce  your  excellency," 
he  said.  "  His  majesty  ordered  me  to  conduct  your  excellency 
at  once  to  his  cabinet.  Be  so  gracious,  therefore,  as  to  follow 
me,  your  excellency." 

And  he  hastened,  with  a  noiseless  step,  through  the  apart- 
ments. Count  Metternich  followed  him  quickly,  and  an  im- 
perceptible sneer  played  over  his  fine  youthful  face  as  he  was 
walking  through  these  sumptuous  rooms,  whose  deserted  ap- 
pearance was  the  best  proof  of  the  precarious  situation  of  the 
emperor. 

The  footman  stood  now  before  the  door  of  the  imperial  cab- 
inet ;  after  waiting  until  his  excellency  had  come  close  up  to 
him,  he  opened  this  door,  and  said,  in  a  loud  voice,  u  His  ex- 
cellency, Count  Metternich  ! " 

When  the  count  entered  the  cabinet,  the  emperor  was  sit- 
ting at  his  writing-table,  and  holding  in  his  hand  a  paper  which 
he  had  read,  but  which  he  laid  down  now,  to  rise  and  greet  the 
count.  It  did  not  escape  Metternich's  keen,  prying  eyes,  that 
the  emperor's  face  was  more  serene  to-day  than  it  had  been  for 
a  long  time  past ;  and,  on  bowing  deeply  to  his  majesty,  he 
asked  himself  what  might  be  the  cause  of  this  unusual  seren- 
ity, and  who  might  have  brought  the  glad  tidings  which  had 
awakened  so  remarkable  a  change. 

"  Welcome,  count,  welcome  ! "  said  the  emperor,  in  his 
sonorous  voice,  and  with  a  graceful  smile.  "  I  sent  for  you 
because  I  am  exceedingly  anxious  to  learn  the  progress  of  your 
peace-negotiations  at  Altenburg.  Is  there  no  prospect  yet  of 
a  speedy  termination  of  this  abominable  war  ? " 

"  Your  majesty,  I  regret  to  say  that  the  negotiations  are 
progressing  very  slowly,"  said  Count  Metternich,  mournfully. 


434  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"The  Emperor  of  the  French  persists  with  stubborn  petulancy 
in  all  his  demands,  and  refuses  firmly  to  abate  them." 

"  Indeed,  is  Bonaparte  so  stubborn  ? "  asked  the  emperor, 
kindly.  ''  How  far  have  you  advanced  in  your  conferences 
with  Minister  Champagny  ? " 

"  Yourmajesty,  we  have  not  advanced  yet  beyond  the  diffi- 
cult questions  concerning  the  contributions  in  money  and  the 
fortresses.  France  refuses  obstinately  to  take  less  than  two 
hundred  and  thirty -seven  millions  of  francs,  and  insists  on  the 
cession  of  the  fortresses  of  Gratz  and  Briinn.  which  her  troops 
have  not  even  occupied  up  to  this  time." 

"  That  is  to  say,  you  have  not  advanced  in  your  peace  ne- 
gotiations beyond  what  both  sides  were  willing  to  concede  at 
the  outset?" 

''  Pardon  me,  your  majesty.  In  the  beginning  of  the  nego- 
tiations we  were  entirely  ignorant  of  the  demands  of  France, 
while  we  are  familiar  with  them  now,  and  know  what  course 
to  adopt  in  regard  to  them.  After  learning  the  adversary's 
intentions,  one  may  more  easily  devise  ways  and  means  to 
frustrate  them." 

"  But  you  have  been  devising  them  a  long  time  already 
without  obtaining  any  results,"  said  the  emperor,  shrugging 
his  shoulders.  "  Well,  what  do  you  think,  my  dear  count, 
will  be  the  upshot  of  your  peace  negotiations  ? " 

"  Will  your  majesty  permit  me  to  tell  you  the  truth  ? " 
asked  Count  Metternich,  with  his  most  winning  smile. 

The  emperor  nodded  his  head. 

u  Well,  then,  your  majesty,  I  believe  that  war  will  be  the 
upshot  of  all  these  peace  negotiations.  The  demands  of 
France  are  so  exorbitant  that  Austria  cannot  submit  to  them. 
Austria's  honor  will  compel  us  to  resume  hostilities  ;  for  a 
government  may,  if  need  be,  acquiesce  in  the  loss  of  some  of 
its  territories,  but  it  must  never  submit  to  a  violation  of  its 
honor." 

"  But  do  you  know  that  a  resumption  of  hostilities  will  en- 
danger not  only  some  of  our  territories,  but  our  existence  ? 
Our  armies  are  disorganized,  disheartened,  and  without  a 
competent  commander-in-chief  ;  and  my  distinguished  broth- 
ers, who  are  at  the  head  of  the  different  corps,  are  quarreling 


THE  TREATY   OF  PEACE.  435 

as  though  they  were  old  women,  and  not  princes.  Besides, 
money,  the  best  general  in  war  times,  is  wanting  to  us." 

"  Only  declare  your  determination  to  resume  hostilities, 
your  majesty,  and  money  will  not  be  wanting  to  you.  Your 
people  will  gladly  sacrifice  all  their  property  for  this  purpose, 
for  your  people  hate  Napoleon  and  desire  vehemently  that 
hostilities  should  be  resumed." 

''  See  here,"  exclaimed  the  emperor,  almost  menacingly, 
"  let  me  advise  you  not  to  allude  to  my  people,  if  you  want 
me  to  remain  on  good  terms  with  you.  I  have  no  people  ;  I 
have  subjects,  and  want  only  subjects.*  If  I  need  money,  I 
shall  impose  additional  taxes  on  my  subjects,  and  they  will  be 
compelled  to  pay  them  ;  but  they  need,  not  offer  me  any  pres- 
ents, for  I  think  it  would  be  incompatible  with  my  imperial 
honor  to  accept  them.  An  emperor  must  not  accept  any  thing 
as  a  present  at  the  hands  of  his  subjects,  not  even  their  love, 
for  it  is  the  duty  of  the  subjects  to  love  their  emperor.  Bear 
this  in  mind,  count,  and  do  not  repeat  again  this  new-fash- 
ioned word '  people  ;'  I  cannot  bear  it,  it  smells  so  much  of  the 
republic  and  guillotine.  Well,  I  have  told  you  that,  if  we  re- 
sumed hostilities,  we  should  be  destitute  of  three  very  essential 
things,  namely,  a  good  army,  a  great  captain,  and  money. 
There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  we  should  lose  the  first  battle 
again  ;  and  if  we  were  compelled  then  to  sue  for  peace,  Bona- 
parte would  impose  still  more  rigorous  terms  upon  us  :  we 
should  be  obliged  to  accept  them,  and  should  lose  both  ter- 
ritories and  honor.  Now  you  know  my  views,  count,  and  you 
shall  know  also  the  principal  reason  why  I  sent  for  you.  Look 
at  this  paper.  Do  you  know  what  it  contains  ?  The  treaty  of 
peace  !" 

u  The  treaty  of  peace  ? "  cried  Metternich,  in  dismay. 
"  Your  majesty  does  not  mean  to  say — " 

"  I  mean  to  say  that  I  have  made  peace  with  the  Emperor 
of  the  French.  Here  is  the  paper  ;  take  it.  The  whole  thing 
is  done  now." 

"Your  majesty,"  exclaimed  Metternich,  looking  at  the 
paper  which  the  emperor  had  handed  to  him,  "it  is  really 
true,  then  ?  You  have  already  signed  the  treaty  without  be 

*  Schlosser's  "  History  of  the  Eighteenth  Century." 


436  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

ing  so  gracious  as  to  employ  your  ministers  or  even  inform 
them  of  it  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  have,  for  I  thought  we  needed  peace  ;  hence,  I 
signed  the  treaty,  and  Prince  Lichtenstein  and  Count  Bubna 
have  taken  a  copy  of  it  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Emperor 
Napoleon  at  Schonbrunn,  and  I  believe  he  will  sign  it  also. 
Well,  do  not  look  so  dumbfounded,  count,  and  do  not  wonder 
any  longer  that  I  succeeded  in  making  peace  without  your 
assistance.  I  allowed  you  and  Stadion  to  go  on  with  the  ne- 
gotiations, and  did  not  prevent  you  from  displaying  your 
whole  diplomatic  skill  at  Altenburg  against  Bonaparte's  min- 
ister, Champagny ;  but  all  this  could  not  prevent  me  either  from 
promoting  the  affair  a  little  here  at  Totis,  after  my  own  fashion, 
and  now  all  is  over.  For  the  rest,  my  dear  count,  bear  in  mind 
what  I  now  say  to  you.  I  appointed  you  my  minister,  because 
you  are  an  able  and  clear-headed  man,  and  an  industrious  and 
reliable  functionary.  I  shall  let  you  act,  decide,  and  govern, 
and  not  complain  if  people  say  that  you  are  all-powerful  in 
Austria,  and  that  your  will  alone  guides  the  ship  of  state.  Let 
people  say  and  think  so,  but  you  shall  not  think  so,  count;  you 
shall  know  once  for  all  what  our  mutual  position  is.  I 
allow  you  to  govern  so  long  as  you  govern  in  accordance 
with  my  views  ;  but  if  I  am  not  satisfied  with  the  course 
you  are  pursuing,  I  shall  pursue  my  own  course,  and  it  will 
only  remain  for  you  to  follow  me,  or  retire  from  public 
affairs.  Now  decide,  my  dear  count ;  will  you  follow  me, 
or—" 

"  Sire,  there  is  no  '  or,' "  interrupted  Count  Metternich. 
"  It  is  your  majesty's  incontestable  right  to  lead  the  way,  and 
indicate  to  me  the  course  I  am  to  pursue." 

"  That  is  right ;  I  like  to  hear  that  kind  of  language  !  "  ex- 
claimed the  emperor,  holding  out  his  hand  kindly  to  the  count. 
"  You  may  depend  upon  it  now  that  we  two  shall  remain  yet 
a  long  while  together,  and  that,  since  we  are  going  to  have 
peace  in  the  country,  we  shall  rule  together  in  tranquillity 
and  harmony.  There,  take  the  paper  now  to  your  room,  and 
read  it  attentively,  that  you  may  become  thoroughly  familiar 
with  it ;  above  all  things,  do  not  forget  the  secret  articles,  for 
you  know  they  are  always  the  most  important  of  all.  Pray 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE.  437 

return  to  me  in  an  hour  from  now  ;  we  will  then  work  to- 
gether." 

"  Sire,  I  shall  be  here  punctually,"  said  Count  Metternich, 
bowing  deeply,  and  walking  backward  to  the  door. 

''  I  believe  he  will  be  here  punctually,"  said  the  emperor, 
smiling,  after  Metternich  had  left  the  room.  "  He  is  afraid,  if 
he  should  not  be  promptly  at  my  door,  it  might  never  open  to 
him  again.  I  want  them  all  to  feel  that  I  am  their  master 
and  emperor — I  alone !  Now  I  am  through  with  Metternich, 
and  it  is  my  brother's  turn.  I  will  give  him  to  day  a  lesson 
which  he  will  not  forget  all  his  life  long." 

The  emperor  rang  the  bell.  u  Has  my  brother,  the  Arch- 
duke John,  not  yet  arrived  ?  "  he  asked  the  footman  who  en- 
tered the  room. 

"  Your  majesty,  the  archduke  has  just  arrived,  and  is  wait- 
ing for  your  orders." 

"  I  request  my  brother  to  come  to  me  immediately,"  said 
the  emperor.  After  the  footman  had  glided  noiselessly  out  of 
the  room,  Francis  walked  repeatedly  up  and  down,  and  his 
face  assumed  a  gloomy  expression.  "  He  shall  learn  now  that 
I  am  his  master,"  he  murmured  ;  "  I  will  break  his  haughty 
spirit,  and  humiliate  him  so  deeply  that  he  will  never  think 
any  more  of  plotting  against  me." 

At  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  the  Archduke  John, 
whom  the  footman  announced,  entered  the  room.  He  looked 
pale  and  sad  ;  the  last  months,  full  of  care  and  grief,  had 
gnawed  deeply  into  his  soul,  and  deprived  his  eyes  of  their 
fire,  and  his  form  of  its  youthful  fulness. 

The  emperor  saw  it,  and  a  sardonic  smile  illuminated  for  a 
moment  his  features,  which,  however,  quickly  resumed  their 
gloomy  expression.  "  Ah,  brother,"  exclaimed  the  emperor, 
greeting  the  archduke  with  a  slight  nod  of  his  head,  "  we  have- 
not  seen  each  other  for  a  long  time  ;  hence,  I  sent  for  you.  I 
wish  to  communicate  important  news  to  you.  The  war  is  at 
an  end.  I  have  concluded  peace  with  the  Emperor  of  the 
French." 

"  Peace  ? "  asked  John,  incredulously.  ''  Your  majesty  con- 
descends to  jest,  and  that  is  a  good  symptom  of  your  majesty's 
excellent  health." 


438  ANDREAS   uot'EK. 

"  I  never  jest  with  you,"  said  the  emperor,  dryly.  "  I  tell 
you  in  dead  earnest,  I  have  concluded  peace  with  Napoleon. 
Austria  loses  a  great  deal  by  this  peace  ;  she  cedes  one-third 
of  her  territory,  and  pays,  moreover,  besides  the  contributions 
imposed  heretofore,  the  sum  of  eighty-six  millions  of  franc."  * 

"  But  what  of  the  Tyrol  ? "  asked  John.  "  I  am  sure  your 
majesty  will  keep  the  faithful  Tyrol  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Francis,  looking  his  brother  full  in  the  face, 
"  the  Tyrol  will  be  divided  ;  one  part  of  it  will  be  restored  to 
Bavaria  ;  the  other  part  will  be  given  to  the  Viceroy  of  Italy, 
and  become  a  province  of  French  Italy." 

"  That  is  impossible  !  "  cried  John,  in  dismay  ;  "  that  can- 
not be  your  will — 

"And  why  not  ?  Why  is  it  impossible  ?"  asked  the  em- 
peror, sternly. 

"Your  majesty,"  said  John,  facing  his  brother  boldly, 
"  you  pledged  your  word  to  the  Tyrolese  solemnly,  in  the  face 
of  God  and  the  whole  world,  that  you  would  not  conclude  a 
peace  which  would  separate  the  Tyrol  from  your  monarchy." 

"  Ah,  you  dare  to  remind  me  of  it  ? "  cried  Francis,  in  a 
threatening  tone. 

"Yes,  I  do,"  said  John,  vehemently  ;  "and  I  have  a  right 
to  do  so,  for  it  is  I  who  pledged  my  honor  that  the  imperial 
promise  would  be  redeemed.  It  was  I  who  stirred  up  the  in- 
surrection of  the  Tyrolese,  who  repeated  the  promises  of  their 
beloved  emperor  to  them  ;  it  was  I  who  called  upon  them  in 
the  emperor's  name  to  organize  a  conspiracy  and  rebellion, 
and  who  induced  them  to  draw  the  sword  and  fight  fot-  their 
liberty.  Your  majesty,  thousands  of  the  noblest  Tyiolese 
have  lost  their  lives  in  this  contest  ;  thousands  lie  wounded 
and  in  great  pain  ;  the  soil  of  the  Tyrol,  formerly  so  tranquil 
and  peaceful,  is  reeking  yet  with  gore  ;  the  fields  are  not  cul- 
tivated ;  where  prosperity  formerly  reigned,  there  is  now  dis- 
tress and  starvation ;  where  peace  and  tranquillity  prevailed, 
there  rages  an  insurrection ;  where  merry  and  happy  people 
used  to  live,  and  where  nothing  was  heard  formerly  but  the 
ringing  notes  of  the  Ranz  des  Vaches  and  the  merry  Jodlers 
of  the  herdsmen,  there  are  to  be  seen  now  only  pale,  mournful 

*  Napoleon  signed  the  treaty  of  Schonbrunn  on  the  14th  of  October  1809. 


THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE.  439 

invalids,  tottering  along  painfully,  and  nothing  is  heard  but 
the  booming  of  artillery  and  the  lamentations  of  the  impover- 
ished and  starving  mountaineers.  And  yet,  despite  all  their 
disasters  and  privations,  the  faitliful  Tyrolese  stand  firm,  for 
their  hearts  are  full  of  hope  and  love  for  their  emperor.  They 
risked  all  in  order  to  become  Austrians  again;  and  even  now, 
when  the  deplorable  armistice  has  compelled  your  troops  to 
sheathe  their  swords,  the  faithful  and  confiding  Tyrolese  con- 
tinue their  struggle  for  their  emperor  and  the  liberty  of  their 
beloved  country.  All  Europe  gazes  with  astonishment  and 
admiration  upon  this  heroic  people,  which  alone  is  yet  coura- 
geous enough  to  resist  the  French  despot,  which  alone  does 
not  yet  bow  to  his  decrees,  and  still  draws  its  sword  against 
him,  while  all  Europe  is  crouching  before  him  in  the  dust. 
Oh,  your  majesty  cannot  and  will  not  abandon  this  faithful 
people,  which  loves  you  and  believes  in  you.  It  would  be 
high  treason  to  think  your  majesty  capable  of  such  a  step,  for 
you  pledged  your  word  to  the  Tyrolese,  and  never  will  an  Em- 
peror of  Austria  break  his  word  and  incur  the  disgrace  of  per- 
juring himself." 

The  emperor  uttered  a  cry  of  rage,  and,  entirely  forgetful 
of  his  assumed  calmness,  rushed  upon  the  archduke  with  flash- 
ing eyes  and  uplifted  arm. 

"  You  dare  to  insult  me  ! "  he  cried.  "  You  are  impudent 
enough  to  charge  me  with  perjury  !  You — " 

The  archduke  on  seeing  his  brother  so  close  before  him, 
furious  and  with  clinched  fist,  started  back  a  few  steps.  "Your 
majesty,"  he  said,  "  I  am  sure  you  do  not  intend  to  insult  your 
brother.  Pray  take  your  hand  away,  for  if  it  should  touch 
my  face,  my  forehead,  I  should  be  obliged  to  forget  that  you 
are  the  emperor,  that  you  are  my  brother,  and  should  demand 
satisfaction  of  you." 

"  The  emperor  would  not  give  satisfaction  to  a  rebel,"  said 
Francis,  dropping  his  arm  slowly  ;  "  he  would  crush  the  rebel 
by  a  word,  and  deliver  the  traitor  into  the  hands  of  his 
judges." 

"  Well,  then,  do  so."  exclaimed  John  ;  "  punish  me,  let  me 
expiate  with  my  blood  the  boldness  with  which  I  reminded  you 
of  the  sacred  promise  which  you  gave  to  the  Tyrolese.  But  do 


440  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

not  forget  your  word  ;  do  not  abandon  the  faithful  Tyrol  ;  do 
not  destroy  the  only  hope  of  these  honest,  innocent  children 
of  nature,  who  confide  so  touchingly  in  their  emperor  !  Oh, 
your  majesty,  let  us  both  forget  the  vehement  words  which 
anger  and  grief  caused  us  to  utter  just  now  !  I  implore  your 
majesty's  forgiveness — I  confess  that  I  sinned  grievously 
against  my  emperor.  But  now  have  mercy  in  your  turn  ! 
See,  I  bow  to  you,  I  kneel  down  before  you,  and  implore  you, 
by  your  imperial  honor  and  in  the  name  of  the  Tyrol,  do  not 
abandon  the  Tyrol  and  its  commander-in-chief,  Andreas  Ho- 
fer,  and  do  not  forget  your  solemn  promise  that  you  would 
never  consent  to  a  treaty  of  peace  that  would  not  forever  in- 
corporate the  Tyrol  with  your  states.  You  want  to  make 
peace  with  Napoleon  ;  but  the  treaty  has  not  been  proclaimed 
yet,  the  world  does  not  know  of  it  yet,  and  it  is  still  possible 
for  your  majesty  to  break  off  the  negotiations.  Oh,  do  so, 
your  majesty  ;  redeem  the  word  you  pledged  to  the  Tyrol,  and 
do  not  conclude  a  peace  which  will  not  indissolubly  unite  the 
Tyrol  with  your  monarchy.  Permit  the  Tyrolese  at  least  to 
conquer  their  liberty  once  more,  and,  after  they  have  done  so, 
protect  it.  Send  me  to  the  Tyrol,  permit  me  to  place  myself 
at  the  head  of  the  brave  mountaineers,  and  you  shall  see  that 
the  Tyrolese  will  rise  as  one  man  and  fight  with  the  courage 
of  lions.  Oh,  your  majesty,  send  me  to  the  Tyrol,  that  the 
Tyrolese  and  the  whole  world  may  learn  that  the  emperor  of 
Austria  keeps  his  word  and  does  not  abandon  them,  and  that 
he  sends  his  own  brother  to  them  in  order  to  tell  them  that  he 
will  not  consent  to  any  peace  which  will  not  incorporate  their 
country  with  Austria !  " 

The  emperor  burst  into  loud  and  scornful  laughter.  "  Ah, 
you  are  very  shrewd,  brother,"  he  said  ;  "  you  think  I  myself 
should  give  you  permission  to  go  to  the  Tyrol  and  play  there, 
with  redoubled  splendor,  your  part  as  savior  and  liberator  of 
the  province.  You  think  I  am  ignorant  of  your  nice  little 
plan,  and  do  not  know  why  you  wish  to  go  to  the  Tyrol,  and 
what  intentions  you  entertain  in  regard  to  it.  Yes,  sir,  I  know 
all !  I  am  aware  of  your  plans.  I  know  that  you  are  a  revo- 
lutionist and  rebel.  You  wanted  to  make  yourself  sovereign 
of  the  Tyrol.  That  is  the  reason  why  you  incited  the  people 


THE    TREATY  OF  PEACE.  441 

to  rebellion,  and  intrigued  and  plotted  until  the  poor  peaceable 
peasants  became  insurgents  and  rebels  against  their  Bavarian 
king,  and  unfurled  the  banner  of  blood  with  frantic  fanati- 
cism. You  say  thousands  have  fallen  in  the  Tyrol  in  the 
struggle  for  liberty  ;  you  say  thousands  lie  wounded  on  the 
gory  soil  of  their  native  country  ;  that  prosperity  has  disap- 
peared, and  poverty  and  starvation  reign  in  the  Tyrol  ?  Well, 
then,  all  this  is  your  work  ;  it  is  your  fault.  You  stirred  up 
the  insurrection,  and  committed  the  heavy  crime  of  inciting  a 
people  to  revolution.  The  Tyrol  belonged  to  Bavaria  ;  the 
Tyrolese  were  subjects  of  the  King  of  Bavaria  ;  nothing  gave 
them  the  right  to  shake  off  the  rule  of  their  king  and  choose 
another  sovereign.  And  you  think  I  should  be  so  weak  as  to 
approve  of  the  bad  example  set  by  the  Tyrolese,  and  encourage 
the  crimes  committed  by  the  revolutionists  ?  You  think  I 
should  sanction  your  work  and  consecrate  your  traitorous 
schemes  by  permitting  you  to  go  to  the  Tyrol  in  order  to 
preach  insurrection  once  more,  make  yourself  sovereign  of 
the  Tyrol,  come  to  an  understanding  with  M.  Bonaparte,  and 
be  recognized  and  confirmed  by  him  as  Duke  of  Tyrol  ? " 

"  Brother,"  cried  John,  in  dismay,  "  I — " 

"  Hush,"  interrupted  the  emperor,  imperiously  ;  "  no  one 
has  a  right  to  say  a  word  when  I  am  speaking.  I  am  not 
speaking  to  you  as  your  brother,  but  as  your  emperor.  And 
as  your  emperor,  I  tell  you  now,  you  will  not  go  to  the  Tyr- 
ol, you  will  not  dare  to  cross  again  the  frontiers  of  the  Tyrol 
without  my  permission  ;  and  I  promise  you  that  you  will  have 
to  wait  a  long  while  for  this  permission.  And  as  your  em- 
peror I  order  you  further  to  inform  the  Tyrolese  that  I  have 
concluded  peace  with  France,  and  to  call  upon  them  to  lay 
down  their  arms  and  submit  to  their  fate." 

"  Your  majesty,  never,  never  will  I  do  that ! "  cried  John. 

"Oh,  you  think  the  good  Tyrolese  would  then  begin  to 
doubt  the  honesty  of  their  adored  archduke,  and  withdraw 
from  him  their  love,  which  was  to  erect  a  throne  for  him  ? " 

"No,  your  majesty,"  said  John,  looking  him  full  in  the 
face  ;  u  I  mean  that  I  have  pledged  my  word  to  protect  the 
Tyrolese,  and  help  and  succor  them  in  their  struggle  for  lib- 
erty and  for  their  emperor,  and  that  I  will  not  incur  the  dis- 
29 


44-J  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

grace  of  having  cheated  a  whole  people  and  abused  their  con- 
fidence and  love  in  the  most  revolting  manner." 

"  Oh,  you  want  to  intimate  to  me  once  more  that  I  have 
done  so — that  I  have  abused  the  confidence  and  love  of  the 
Tyrolese  in  a  revolting  manner  ? "  asked  the  emperor,  with 
a  freezing  smile.  ''  No  matter,  keep  your  opinion  ;  but  you 
shall  surely  obey  me,  and  do  it  at  once  in  my  presence.  Seat 
yourself  at  my  writing-table  yonder.  You  are  a  scholar,  and 
know  how  to  wield  the  pen  quickly  and  skilfully.  Write, 
therefore.  Inform  the  faithful  Tyrolese  that  peace  has  been 
concluded  ;  order  them  to  lay  down  their  arms  and  submit 
obediently  to  their  new  master." 

"I  cannot,  brother,"  cried  John,  mournfully.  "Have 
mercy  upon  me  !  I  cannot  deliver  a  whole  people  to  the  exe- 
cutioner's axe.  For,  if  you  withdraw  your  hand  from  the 
Tyrol,  if  you  surrender  it  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  Bava- 
rians and  French,  they  will  wreak  a  fearful  revenge  on  the 
Tyrolese  for  all  the  defeats  and  humiliations  which  the  heroic 
mountaineers  have  made  them  undergo." 

"  That  will  deter  the  mountaineers  from  entering  into  any 
more  conspiracies  and  revolutions,  and  teach  them  to  be  pa- 
tient and  submissive  ;  and  they  will  thereby  become  an  awful 
example  to  my  own  subjects.  Do  not  disobey  me  any  longer. 
Seat  yourself  and  write,  archduke  ! " 

"  No,''  cried  John,  vehemently,  "  your  majesty  may  punish 
me  as  a  rebel,  take  my  life,  or  sentence  me  to  everlasting  im- 
prisonment, but  I  cannot  obey  1  I  cannot  write  such  a  procla- 
mation !" 

"I  shall  not  punish  you  as  a  rebel,"  said  the  emperor, 
shrugging  his  shoulders  ;  "I  shall  not  take  your  life,  I  shall 
not  sentence  you  to  everlasting  imprisonment ;  but  I  will 
withdraw  my  hand  entirely  from  the  Tyrol.  I  will  not.  as  I 
had  resolved  and  stipulated  expressly,  give  the  fugitive  Tyro- 
lese, if  they  should  succeed  in  crossing  the  frontier,  an  asylum 
here  in  Austria,  and  protect  them  to  the  best  of  my  power  ; 
but  I  will  deliver  them  as  escaped  criminals  to  their  legiti- 
mate sovereigns,  that  they  may  punish  them  according  to 
their  deserts.  Nor  shall  I,  as  I  intended  to  do,  stipulate  in  Ihe 
treaty  of  peace  that  the  ancient  constitution  shall  be  con- 


THE  TKEATY  OF  PEACE.  443 

firmed  and  guaranteed  to  the  Tyrolcse  :  nor  shall  I,  finally, 
as  I  had  resolved  to  do,  appoint  a  com  mission  which  will  afford 
relief  to  the  fugitives  who  escape  with  their  families  to  Aus- 
tria. It  will  be  your  fault  if  the  poor  Tyrolese  are  deprived 
of  these  boons,  and  you  will  expose  the  deserted  people  to  the 
most  fearful  persecutions." 

"  No,  your  majesty  ;  no  one  shall  ever  be  able  to  say  that," 
cried  John,  profoundly  moved.  "  I  will  obey  your  order  and 
draw  up  the  proclamation." 

He  hastened  to  the  writing-table,  and,  throwing  himself  on 
a  chair  in  front  of  it,  uttered  a  deep  groan  and  dropped  his 
head  on  his  breast  as  though  he  were  dying. 

"  Well,  do  not  reflect  so  long,  brother,"  said  Francis,  "  but 
write  ! " 

John  took  up  the  pen,  and,  restraining  the  tears  which 
filled  his  eyes,  wrote  quickly  a  few  lines.  He  then  rose  as 
pale  as  a  corpse,  and,  approaching  the  emperor  slowly,  handed 
the  paper  to  him. 

"  Your  majesty,"  he  said,  solemnly,  "  I  have  complied  with 
your  order.  I  inform  the  Tyrolese  that  peace  has  been  con- 
cluded, and  exhort  them  to  submit.  Will  you  now  fulfil  the 
conditions,  on  account  of  which  I  have  written  this  to  the 
Tyrolese  ?  Will  you  grant  an  asylum  here  in  Austria  to  those 
who  shall  succeed  in  escaping  their  tormentors  and  execution- 
ers ?  Will  you  appoint  an  imperial  commission  which  will 
afford  relief  to  the  fugitives  and  their  families?  And  last, 
will  you  see  to  it  that  the  ancient  constitution  is  guaranteed  to 
the  Tyrolese  in  the  treaty  of  peace  ? '' 

"  I  pledged  you  my  word  that  I  would  do  so,  dear  brother," 
said  the  emperor,  smiling  ;  "  and  you  yourself  said  a  while 
ago,  '  Never  will  an  Emperor  of  Austria  break  his  word  and 
incur  the  disgrace  of  perjuring  himself.'  Well,  read  to  me 
now  what  you  have  written.  I  should  like  to  hear  it  from 
your  own  lips." 

The  archduke  bowed  and  read  in  a  tremulous  voice: 

"  DEAR,  BRAVE  TYROLESE  :  The  news  that  peace  has  been 
concluded  will  soon  reach  you.  The  emperor  has  ordered  me 
to  confirm  this  intelligence  to  you.  The  emperor  would  have 


444  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

done  every  thing  to  fulfil  the  wishes  of  the  Tyrol,  but,  how- 
ever great  an  interest  the  emperor  takes  in  the  fate  of  the 
honest  and  excellent  inhabitants  of  that  province,  he  has  had 
to  submit  to  the  stern  necessity  of  making  peace.  I  inform 
you  of  this  by  order  of  his  majesty,  with  the  addition  that  it 
is  his  majesty's  wish  that  the  Tyrolese  should  keep  quiet  and 
not  sacrifice  themselves  needlessly. 

"The  Archduke  JOHN." 

"  H'm  ! "  said  the  emperor,  taking  the  paper  from  John's 
hand  and  contemplating  it  attentively,  "it  is  written  quite 
laconically  indeed.  But,  no  matter,  you  have  complied  with 
my  order  and  done  your  duty." 

"I  thank  your  majesty  for  this  acknowledgment.  And 
now  that  I  have  done  my  duty,  I  request  your  majesty  to  be 
so  gracious  as  to  dismiss  me  from  your  service,  and  permit  me 
to  retire  from  the  court  into  private  life.  I  feel  weak  and  ex- 
hausted, and  need  repose.  Moreover,  since  we  have  peace 
now,  my  services  are  superfluous  and  may  be  easily  dispensed 
with." 

''  And  you  wish  me  to  dismiss  you  very  speedily,  do  you 
not  ? "  asked  the  emperor,  sarcastically.  "  You  would  like  to 
retire  as  quickly  as  possible  into  private  life,  that  the  whole 
world,  and,  above  all,  the  dear  Tyrolese,  may  perceive  that  the 
noble  and  beloved  Archduke  John  is  dissatisfied  with  the 
treaty,  and  has  therefore  withdrawn  in  anger  from  the  court 
and  service  of  his  emperor  ?  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  afford 
you  this  satisfaction.  You  will  remain  in  the  service  ;  I  do 
not  accept  your  resignation,  I  do  not  permit  you  to  retire  into 
private  life.  You  should  devote  your  abilities  to  the  state  ; 
you  are  not  allowed  to  withhold  your  services  from  it  at  this 
juncture." 

"  Your  majesty,  I  can  no  longer  be  useful  to  the  state.  I 
am  exhausted  to  death.  I  repeat  my  request  in  the  most  ur- 
gent manner  :  dismiss  me  from  the  service,  and  permit  me  to 
retire  into  private  life." 

"  What !  "  cried  Francis,  vehemently.  "  Your  emperor 
has  informed  you  of  his  will,  and  you  dare  to  oppose  it  ?  That 
is  a  violation  of  subordination,  for  which  the  emperor,  as  su- 


THE   TREATY   OF  PEACE.  44-5 

prerne  commander  of  his  army,  would  punish  his  rebellious 
general  rigorously,  but  for  the  fact  that  this  general  unfortu- 
nately is  his  brother.  I  repeat  it,  I  do  not  accept  your  resigna- 
tion. You  remain  in  the  service  ;  I  demand  it  as  your  gen- 
eral-in-chief  ;  I  remind  you  of  the  oath  of  allegiance  which 
you  have  sworn  to  me,  your  emperor  and  master." 

"  Your  majesty  does  right  in  reminding  me  of  the  oath  I 
took,"  said  the  archduke,  with  freezing  coldness.  "  It  is  true, 
I  swore  that  oath  ;  and  as  I  am  in  the  habit  of  keeping  my 
word,  and  as  it  is  disgraceful  for  any  one  to  break  his  word 
and  perjure  himself,  I  shall  fulfil  my  oath.  Hence,  I  shall 
obey  my  emperor  and  general-in-chief,  and  not  leave  the  serv- 
ice. But  now  I  ask  leave  of  your  majesty  to  withdraw  for  to- 
day, if  your  majesty  has  nothing  further  to  say  to  me." 

"  Yes,  I  have  something  else  to  say  to  you,  my  dear  broth- 
er," said  the  emperor,  smilingly.  "  I  will  give  you  a  proof  of 
the  great  confidence  which  I  repose  in  you,  and  with  which  I 
count  upon  your  discretion.  I  will  communicate  to  you  a 
family  secret  which  is  known  at  present  only  to  the  Emperor 
Napoleon,  Baron  von  Thugut,  who  acted  as  my  agent  on  this 
occasion,  and  myself." 

"  What !  "  asked  John,  in  surprise  ;  "  the  Emperor  Napo- 
leon is  aware  of  a  family  secret  of  your  majesty  ? " 

"  As  it  concerns  himself,  he  must  be  aware  of  it,"  said  the 
emperor.  "  Napoleon  intends  to  marry  a  second  time." 

"  A  second  time  ?  Has  his  first  wife,  the  Empress  Josephine, 
then,  died  suddenly  ? " 

"  No,  she  still  lives,  and  is  acting  yet  at  this  moment  in 
Paris  as  the  emperor's  legitimate  consort.  But  Napoleon,  im- 
mediately after  his  return  from  Germany,  will  annul  this  mar- 
riage, which  was  never  consecrated  by  a  priest ;  he  will  divorce 
himself  solemnly  from  his  wife,  and  have  then  the  right  of 
marrying  a  second  time.  He  requested  my  secret  agent,  Baron 
von  Thugut,  to  ask  me  if  I  would  consent  to  a  marriage  be- 
tween him  and  an  archduchess  of  Austria.  I  replied  in  the 
affirmative,  and  this  agreement  forms  one  of  the  secret  articles 
of  the  treaty  of  peace." 

"  An  archduchess  of  Austria  is  to  become  the  consort  of 
the  French  despot ! "  cried  John,  in  dismay.  "  And  who, 


446  ^tfDREAS   HOFER. 

your  majesty,  is  to  be  sacrificed  to  the  Minotaur  ?  Which  of 
your  sisters  or  cousins  will  you  let  him  have  ? " 

u  None  of  my  cousins  or  sisters,''  said  Francis,  calmly,  "  but 
my  eldest  daughter,  Maria  Louisa,  is  to  become  the  consort  of 
the  Emperor  Napoleon." 

"  Maria  Louisa  ! "  cried  John,  with  an  expression  of  dismay. 
"  Maria  Louisa  !  " 

And  John  staggered  back  several  steps,  as  pale  as  a  corpse, 
and  grasped  the  back  of  the  chair  in  order  not  to  sink  to  the 
floor. 

Francis  did  not  seem  to  perceive  this.  "  Yes,  Maria  Louisa 
will  be  Napoleon's  second  consort,"  he  said.  "  Every  thing  is 
settled  already,  and  the  marriage  will  take  place  next  March. 
I  think,  brother,  you  may  stand  proxy  for  Napoleon  on  that 
occasion." 

The  archduke  gave  a  start,  and  pressed  his  hands  to  his 
temples  as  if  he  were  afraid  lest  this  dreadful  "  family  secret " 
would  burst  his  head. 

"  Your  majesty,"  he  said,  in  a  tremulous  and  almost  in- 
audible voice,  "  I  beg  leave  to  withdraw." 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  the  archduke  turned  and  left 
the  room  with  a  tottering  step,  and  leaning  now  and  then 
against  the  wall  in  order  not  to  sink  to  the  floor. 

The  emperor  looked  after  him,  smilingly.  "  It  seems  Hu- 
delist  was  not  mistaken,"  he  said.  "  My  dear  brother  really 
loved  Maria  Louisa,  and  intended  to  become  my  son-in-law. 
What  a  nice  idea  !  But  he  must  give  it  up  now.  He — Holy 
Virgin  !  What  noise  is  that  in  the  anteroom  ?  What  fell  to 
the  floor  there  ? " 

The  emperor  stepped  quickly  to  the  door  and  opened  it. 
"  What  is  the  matter  here  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Your  majesty,"  exclaimed  the  footman,  who  hastened  to 
him,  ''  the  archduke  fainted  and  fell  to  the  floor,  striking  with 
his  head  against  the  corner  of  a  chair,  and  wounding  his  fore- 
head, which  is  bleeding  copiously." 

"Well,  I  hope  it  is  only  a  slight  scratch,"  said  the  em- 
peror, composedly.  "  Carry  the  archduke  to  his  bedchamber 
and  send  for  my  surgeon.  I  will  afterward  call  on  him  my- 
self." 


DREADFUL   TIDINGS.  447 

Without  taking  any  further  notice  of  the  archduke,  the 
emperor  returned  into  his  cabinet  and  closed  the  door  after 
him. 

*'  He  fainted,"  said  Francis,  triumphantly.  "  Henceforth 
he  shall  be  entirely  powerless.  No  one  shall  have  any  power 
here  but  myself.  Ah,  I  have  broken  his  pride,  bent  his  will, 
and  prostrated  him  at  my  feet.  All  my  brothers  shall  bow  to 
me,  acknowledge  me  as  their  master,  and  obey  me.  Ah,  I  be- 
lieve I  have  played  a  bad  trick  on  my  brothers.  The  Arch- 
duke John  will  not  become  Duke  of  Tyrol ;  the  Grand-duke 
Ferdinand  of  Wiirtzburg  will  not  be  Emperor  of  Austria,  for 
Napoleon  will  become  my  son-in-law,  and  he  will  take  good 
care  not  to  deprive  his  father-in-law  of  his  throne.  I  alone 
am,  and  shall  remain,  Emperor  of  Austria." 


CHAPTER  XL. 

DREADFUL  TIDINGS. 

ALL  the  Tyrolese  were  in  the  highest  excitement  and  ter- 
ror. Pale  faces  were  to  be  seen  everywhere,  and  nothing  was 
heard  but  the  anxious  query  :  "  Is  it  true  ?  Has  our  emperor 
really  made  peace  with  Bonaparte?  Is  it  true  that  he  has 
abandoned  us  entirely,  and  that  we  are  to  become  again  sub- 
jects of  France  and  Bavaria  ?  " 

And  some  of  the  timid  and  disheartened  sighed  :  "It  is 
true  !  We  read  so  yesterday  in  the  Innspruck  Gazette,  and 
the  Viceroy  of  Italy  has  sent  two  messengers  through  the 
Puster  valley  to  proclaim  that  the  Emperors  of  Austria  and 
France  concluded  a  treaty  of  peace  on  the  14th  of  October,  and 
that  the  Tyrolese  are  to  lay  down  their  arms  and  become  again 
subjects  of  France  and  Bavaria." 

"  It  is  not  true  ! "  cried  the  bold  and  courageous.  "  The 
Emperor  Francis  has  not  made  peace  with  Bonaparte  ;  and  if 
he  has,  he  has  certainly  not  abandoned  the  Tyrol,  but  stipu- 
lated that  we  remain  with  Austria  ;  for  he  pledged  us  his 
word  that  w*  should,  and  the  emperor  will  redeem  his  prom- 
ise." 


448  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  It  is  not  true  ;  there  is  no  peace,  and  we  are  still  at  war 
with  the  Bavarians  and  French,"  cried  Joseph  Speckbacher, 
''and  we  will  continue  the  war." 

"Yes,  we  will,"  shouted  his  brave  men. 

And  as  Speckbacher  said,  so  did  Andreas  Hofer,  so  did  Joa- 
chim Haspinger,  so  did  Anthony  Wallner,  Jacob  Sieberer,  and 
all  the  intrepid  commanders  of  the  sharpshooters. 

Led  by  these  heroic  men,  the  Tyrolese  formed  again  a  large 
army,  which  took  position  on  Mount  Isel,  and  awaited  there 
the  Bavarians  who  were  marching  upon  Innspruck  under  the 
command  of  the  crown  prince  Louis. 

This  time,  however,  the  Tyrolese  were  not  victorious  ;  the 
Bavarians  expelled  them  from  Innspruck,  and,  on  the  29th  of 
October,  the  crown  prince  Louis  of  Bavaria  made  his  tri- 
umphal entry  into  the  city,  after  a  bloody  battle  of  four  days' 
duration  on  Mount  Isel  and  near  the  Judenstein.  A  part  of 
the  Tyrolese  forces  remained  on  Mount  Isel,  and  another  part 
hastened  with  unbroken  courage  to  other  regions,  to  meet  the 
armies  of  the  enemy  and  drive  them  beyond  the  frontiers  of 
the  country. 

Anthony  Wallner  returned  with  his  sharpshooters  to  the 
Puster  valley,  and  advanced  thence  against  General  Rusca, 
who  was  coming  up  from  Carinthia  with  his  corps  ;  he  in- 
tended to  defend  the  frontiers  of  his  country,  against  him  and 
General  Baraguay  d'Hilliers,  who  was  also  approaching  with 
a  strong  force. 

Joseph  Speckbacher  marched  his  intrepid  men  to  the 
Ziller  valley  and  the  Muhlbach  Pass,  where  he  united  with 
Joachim  Haspinger,  and  advanced  with  him  upon  the  enemy. 

All  were  in  good  spirits,  and  no  one  believed  in  the  dread- 
ful tidings  which  at  first  had  frightened  them  all  so  much  :  no 
one  believed  that  peace  had  been  made. 

Andreas  Hofer  himself  thought  the  news  was  false.  He 
had  remained  courageous  and  undaunted  in  spite  of  the  dis- 
astrous battle  on  Mount  Isel,  and  he  sent  messengers  through- 
out the  country,  calling  upon  all  able-bodied  men  to  take  up 
arms  and  attack  the  enemy,  who  had  invaded  the  Tyrol  once 
more.  He  was  still  encamped  with  his  army  near  Mount  Isel, 
and  had  established  his  headquarters  at  Steinach.  The  crown 


DREADFUL   TIDINGS.  449 

prince  of  Bavaria  had  sent  to  him  hither  two  plenipotentiaries, 
who  informed  him  that  peace  had  really  been  concluded,  and 
that  the  Tyrolese  had  no  course  left  but  submission.  But  An- 
dreas Hofer  replied  to  these  plenipotentiaries,  shaking  his  head 
indignantly,  "  That  is  a  mean  lie  ;  the  Emperor  Francis,  our 
beloved  master,  will  never  abandon  his  loyal  Tyrolese.  He 
pledged  us  his  word,  and  he  will  keep  it.  Your  intention  is 
to  deceive  us,  but  you  cannot  catch  us  by  such  stratagems. 
We  believe  in  the  emperor  and  the  good  God,  and  neither  of 
them  will  ever  abandon  us  1 " 

And  Andreas  Hofer  returned  to  his  room  with  a  calm  smile 
and  went  to  bed. 

In  the  dead  of  night,  however,  he  was  suddenly  aroused 
from  his  sleep.  Cajetan  Doninger  stood  at  his  bedside  and 
informed  him  that  the  intendant  of  the  Puster  valley.  Baron 
von  Worndle,  had  arrived  with  an  envoy  of  the  Emperor 
Francis,  Baron  von  Lichtenthurn,  and  both  wished  urgently 
to  see  the  commander-in-chief. 

"  I  will  admit  them,"  said  Hofer,  rising  hastily  ;  "  God 
grant  that  they  are  the  bearers  of  good  news  !  " 

He  dressed  himself  quickly  and  followed  Doninger  into  the 
room,  where  he  found  the  two  envoys  and  several  members  of 
his  suite. 

"  Now  tell  me,  gentlemen,  what  news  do  you  bring  to  us  ? " 
asked  Hofer,  shaking  hands  with  the  two  envoys. 

"  No  good  news,  commander-in-chief,"  sighed  Baron  von 
Worndle,  "  but  there  is  no  use  in  complaining  :  we  must  sub- 
mit patiently  to  what  cannot  be  helped.  The  Emperor  Fran- 
cis has  made  peace  with  France." 

"Do  you  sing  in  that  strain  too,  Mr.  Intendant  ?"' asked 
Andreas,  with  a  mournful  smile.  "  I  shall  never  believe  it 
until  I  see  it  in  black  and  white,  and  until  the  emperor  or  the 
dear  Archduke  John  informs  me  of  it." 

"I  bring  it  to  you  in  black  and  white,"  exclaimed  Baron 
von  Lichtenthurn,  drawing  a  paper  from  his  bosom  and  hand- 
ing it  to  Andreas.  u  Here  is  a  letter  from  the  Archduke  John, 
which  I  am  to  deliver  to  you." 

Hofer  hastily  seized  the  paper,  which  contained  that  proc- 
lamation which  the  Archduke  John  had  written  at  Totis,  and 


450  ANDREAS   HOFER 

read  it  again  and  again  slowly  and  attentively.  While  he  was 
doing  so,  his  cheeks  turned  pale,  his  breath  issued  heavily  and 
painfully  from  his  breast,  and  the  paper  rustled  in  his  trem- 
bling hands. 

"  It  is  impossible  !  I  cannot  believe  it  ! "  he  exclaimed, 
mournfully,  gazing  upon  the  paper.  '"The  Archduke  John 
did  not  write  this.  Just  look  at  it,  his  seal  is  not  affixed  to  the 
paper.  Sir,  how  can  you  say  that  this  letter  is  from  the 
Archduke  John  ?  Where  is  the  seal  ?  Where  is  the  ad- 
dress ? '' 

*'  Well,  it  is  no  private  letter,"  said  Baron  von  Lichten- 
thurn  ;  ''  it  is  an  open  letter,  a  proclamation,  which  I  am  in- 
structed to  show  to  everybody  in  the  Tyrol.  A  proclamation 
cannot  contain  a  seal  and  an  address.  But  the  Archduke 
John  sent  it ;  he  himself  wrote  every  word  of  it." 

*'  I  do  not  believe  it ! "  cried  Andreas,  in  a  triumphant 
voice  ;  "  no,  I  do  not  believe  it.  You  are  a  liar,  and  want  to 
betray  us.  Look  at  him,  my  friends  ;  see  how  pale  he  turns, 
and  how  he  trembles  !  For  I  tell  you  he  has  a  bad  conscience. 
Bring  me  the  Archduke  John's  seal,  and  then  I  will  believe 
that  the  paper  is  from  him.  But,  as  it  is,  I  look  upon  it  as  a 
cunning  device  got  up  by  the  enemy  to  entrap  me.  Arrest 
him  ;  he  must  confess  all.  I  will  not  allow  myself  to  be 
caught  by  cunning  and  treachery  ! "  * 

He  laid  his  heavy  hand  upon  the  shoulder  of  the  baron, 
who  sank  to  the  floor,  uttering  a  loud  cry  of  distress,  and  fell 
into  fearful  convulsions. 

"  See  ! "  cried  Andreas,  "  that  is  the  punishment  of  Heaven  ! 
The  hand  of  God  has  struck  him.  He  is  a  traitor,  who  in- 
tended to  sell  us  to  the  French." 

''  No,  he  is  an  honorable  man,  and  has  told  you  the  truth," 
said  Baron  von  Worndle,  gravely.  "  Your  violent  accusation 
frightened  him,  and  he  fell  into  an  epileptic  fit.  He  is  affected 
with  that  disease. "t 

He  and  some  of  the  bystanders  raised  the  unfortunate 
baron  from  the  ground,  and  carried  him  into  the  adjoining 

*  Andreas  Hofer's  own  words.— See  Horraayr's  "  Andreas  Hofer,"  voL  iL. 
p.  490. 

tlbid. 


DREAD*  JL  TIDINGS.  451 

room.  He  then  returned  to  Andreas,  who  was  walking-  up 
and  down  with  a  hasty  step,  and  murmuring  to  himself,  "  I 
cannot  believe  it !  The  Archduke  John  did  not  write  it. 
His  hand  would  have  withered  while  writing  it.  He  did  not 
do  it." 

"Yes,  Andreas,  he  did,"  said  Worndle,  gravely  ;  "he  was 
obliged  to  submit,  as  we  all  shall  have  to  do.  The  Archduke 
John  was  obliged  to  yield  to  the  will  of  his  emperor  as  we 
shall  have  to  do.  The  treaty  of  peace  has  been  concluded. 
There  is  no  doubt  of  it." 

"  Lord  God  1  the  treaty  of  peace  has  been  concluded,  and 
the  emperor  abandons  us  ? "  cried  Andreas. 

"  The  emperor,  it  seems,  was  unable  to  do  any  thing  for  the 
Tyrol,"  said  Worndle  in  a  low  voice.  "  He  had  to  consent 
that  the  Tyrol  should  be  restored  to  the  French  and  Bava- 
rians." 

"  But  that  is  impossible  1 "  cried  Andreas,  despairingly. 
"  He  pledged  us  his  word,  his  sacred  word,  that  he  would  never 
consent  to  a  peace  that  would  detach  the  Tyrol  from  Austria. 
How  can  you  now  insult  the  dear  emperor  by  saying  that  he 
has  broken  his  word  ? " 

"  He  has  not  broken  his  word,  but  he  was  unable  to  keep 
it.  Look,  commander-in-chief,  I  bring  you  another  letter,  to 
which,  as  you  see,  is  affixed  a  large  imperial  seal,  the  seal  of 
the  Viceroy  of  Italy,  who  wrote  the  letter  to  you  and  all  the 
Tyrolese." 

"  Read  it,"  exclaimed  Andreas,  mournfully  ;  "  I  cannot,  my 
eyes  are  filled  with  tears.  Read  it  to  me,  sir." 

Worndle  read  as  follows  : 

"  To  the  people  of  the  Tyrol :  His  majesty  the  Emperor  of 
the  French,  King  of  Italy,  Protector  of  the  Confederation  of 
the  Rhine,  my  august  father  and  sovereign,  and  his  majesty, 
the  Emperor  of  Austria,  have  made  peace.  Peace,  then  fore, 
reigns  everywhere  around  you.  You  are  the  only  people  which 
does  not  enjoy  its  blessings.  Seduced  by  foreign  instigations, 
you  took  up  arms  against  your  government  and  overthrew 
it.  The  melancholy  consequences  of  your  seditious  course 
have  overtaken  you.  Terroi  reigns  now  in  your  towns,  idle- 


452  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

ness  and  misery  in  your  fields,  and  discord  and  disorder  are 
to  be  found  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  His  majesty  the  em- 
peror and  king,  profoundly  moved  by  your  wretched  condi- 
tion, and  the  proofs  of  repentance  which  some  of  you  have 
manifested  to  him,  has  consented  in  the  treaty  to  forgive  your 
errors.  I  bring  you  peace  and  forgiveness,  but  I  warn  you  of 
the  fact,  that  you  will  be  forgiven  only  if  you  return  of  your 
own  accord  to  law  and  order,  lay  down  your  arms,  and  offer 
no  longer  any  resistance  whatever.  As  commander-in- chief 
of  the  armies  surrounding  you,  I  shall  accept  your  submission 
or  compel  you  to  surrender.  Commissioners  will  precede  the 
armies  ;  they  have  been  instructed  to  listen  to  whatever  com- 
plaints and  grievances  you  may  wish  to  prefer.  But,  do  not 
forget  that  these  commissioners  are  authorized  to  listen  to  you 
only  after  you  have  laid  down  your  arms.  Ty  rolese  !  I  promise 
that  you  shall  obtain  justice  if  your  complaints  and  grievances 
are  well-grounded.  Headquarters  at  Villach,  October  25, 1809. 

"  EUGENE  NAPOLEON."  * 

Baron  von  Worndle  had  long  since  ceased  to  read,  and  still 
Andreas  Hofer  stood  motionless,  his  hands  folded  on  his  breast, 
his  head  thrown  back,  and  his  eyes  turned  toward  heaven. 
All  gazed  in  respectful  silence  upon  that  tall,  imposing  form 
which  seemed  frozen  by  grief,  and  at  that  pale,  mournful  face, 
and  those  pious  eyes,  which  seemed  to  implore  consolation 
and  salvation  from  heaven. 

At  last  Doninger  ventured  to  put  his  hand  softly  on  Hofer's 
arm.  "  Awake,  dear  commander-in -chief,"  he  said  in  a  low 
voice,  "awake  from  your  grief.  These  gentlemen  here  are 
waiting  for  an  answer.  Tell  them  what  you  think — " 

"  What  I  think  ? "  cried  Hofer,  giving  a  start  and  dropping 
his  eyes  slowly.  u  What  I  think  ?  I  think  that  we  are  poor, 
unhappy  men,  who  have  vainly  risked  our  property  and  our 
blood,  our  liberty  and  our  lives.  Tell  me,  then,  my  friends, 
is  it  possible  that  the  Emperor  Francis,  whom  we  all  loved 
so  dearly,  and  who  pledged  us  his  word  so  solemnly  and  often, 
has  abandoned  us  after  all  ?  Cajetan,  do  you  believe  it  ? " 

"  It  is  in  black  and  white  here,"  said  Doninger,  in  his  ha- 

*  Hormayr's  "  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  i.,  p.  490. 


DREADFUL  TIDINGS.  4.53 

bitual  laconic  style,  pointing  to  the  proclamation  of  the  Arch- 
duke John.  "  It  is  the  archduke's  handwriting  ;  I  am  famil- 
iar with  it.  You  need  no  longer  question  its  authenticity. 
Peace  has  been  concluded. " 

"  Peace  has  been  concluded,  the  emperor  has  abandoned 
his  Tyrol,  the  Tyrol  is  lost  !  "  cried  Andreas,  in  a  loud  out- 
burst of  grief  ;  and  his  long-restrained  tears  streamed  from  his 
eyes.  Andreas  was  not  ashamed  of  them.  He  threw  himself 
on  a  chair,  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  and  wept  aloud. 

"  The  Tyrol  is  lost,"  he  sobbed  ;  all  my  dear  countrymen 
are  in  profound  distress,  and,  moreover,  in  the  utmost  danger  ; 
our  beloved,  beautiful  country  will  have  to  shed  rivers  of  blood, 
and  nothing  will  be  heard  but  wails  and  lamentations.  For 
the  emperor  has  abandoned  us,  the  enemy  will  re  enter  the 
country,  kill  and  burn,  and  wreak  a  terrible  revenge  upon  our 
people  !— Lord  God,"  he  exclaimed  all  at  once,  "can  I  not  do 
any  thing,  then,  for  my  dear  country  ?  Tell  me,  my  friends, 
can  I  not  do  any  thing  to  avert  this  great  calamity  and  save 
the  lives  of  my  dear  countrymen  ? " 

"  Yes,  Andreas,"  said  Baron  von  Worndle,  "  you  can  do  a 
great  deal  for  the  Tyrol  and  your  countrymen.  You  can  pre- 
vent bloodshed,  soften  the  vindictiveness  of  the  enemy,  and 
induce  him  to  spare  the  vanquished  and  wreak  no  revenge  on 
the  disarmed.  Write  a  proclamation  to  the  Tyrolese,  admon- 
ish them  to  keep  quiet,  and  order  them  to  lay  down  their 
arms.  Return  yourself  to  your  home,  your  inn,  and  you  will 
have  done  on  this  mournful  day  more  for  the  Tyrol  than  you 
have  been  able  to  do  for  it  up  to  this  time  ;  for  you  will  there- 
by save  the  Tyrol  from  untold  disasters,  which  will  surely  be- 
fall the  country  if  you  resume  hostilities  against  enemies 
who  are  a  hundred  times  superior  to  us.  It  is  impossible  for 
us  to  withstand  them  successfully.  Their  columns,  well  pro- 
vided with  artillery,  are  moving  upon  all  sides,  and  the 
whole  Tyrol,  as  the  Viceroy  of  Italy  writes,  is  surrounded. 
We  have  no  course  left  but  submission.  Order  the  Tyrolese, 
therefore,  to  submit,  set  a  good  example  to  them  yourself,  and 
the  Tyrol  is  saved,  and  no  more  blood  will  be  shed." 

"  No  more  blood  will  be  shed  ! "  repeated  Andreas  Hofer,  joy- 
ously. "  Well,  then,  I  see  that  you  are  right,  and  that  we 


454:  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

have  no  course  left  but  submission.  It  is  true,  the  emperor 
has  abandoned  us.  but  the  good  God  will  still  stand  by  us  ; 
and  on  seeing  that  we  are  humble  and  submissive,  He  will 
have  mercy  upon  us.  Sit  down,  Cajetan  ;  I  will  dictate  a 
letter  to  you.  To  whom  must  I  write  on  behalf  of  my  beloved 
country  ? " 

"  Write  to  General  Drouet,"  said  Doninger.  "  It  was  he 
who  wrote  to  you  yesterday  from  Innspruck,  informing  you 
of  the  conclusion  of  peace,  and  promising  that,  if  you  and  all 
the  Tyrolese  would  submit,  no  harm  should  befall  any  one. 
You  refused  to  answer  his  letter  because  you  did  not  believe 
him." 

"  I  did  not  believe  him,"  said  Andreas,  gently,  "  for  I  still 
believed  in  my  emperor.  But  I  see  now  that  General  Drouet 
was  right  :  I  will,  therefore,  write  to  him,  and  recommend 
my  country  and  the  good  and  brave  Tyrolese  to  his  mercy. 
Take  up  the  pen,  Cajetan,  and  write." 

And  Andreas  Hofer  dictated  in  a  low,  tremulous  voice,  oft- 
en interrupted  by  sighs  which  issued  from  his  breast  like  the 
groans  of  a  dying  man,  a  letter  to  General  Drouet,  in  which 
he  promised  in  touching  words  that  the  Tyrolese  would  lay 
down  their  arms,  and  said  they  would  trust,  for  pardon  and 
oblivion  of  the  past,  to  the  magnanimity  of  Napoleon,  whose 
footsteps  were  guided  by  a  superior  power,  which  it  was  no 
longer  permitted  them  to  resist. 

"  There,"  he  said,  after  convincing  himself  that  Doninger 
had  written  exactly  what  he  had  dictated,  "  now  give  me  the 
pen,  Cajetan.  I  will  sign  it  myself." 

He  bent  over  the  table,  and  wrote  quickly  what  he  had  so 
often  written  under  his  decrees,  "  Andreas  Hofer,  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  Tyrol." 

But  then  he  gave  a  start,  and  contemplated  his  signature 
long  and  musingly.  Heaving  a  profound  sigh,  and  casting  a 
mournful  glance  toward  heaven,  he  took  up  the  pen  a  second 
time,  and  added  the  word  "  late,"  slowly  and  with  a  trembling 
hand,  to  his  title  " commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol."  * 

"  Now  come,  Cajetan,"  he  exclaimed,  throwing  down  the 
pen,  as  if  it  was  a  viper  which  had  wounded  him,  "  come, 

*  "  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  178. 


DREADFUL  TIDINGS.  455 

Cajetan.  I  will  go  to  my  sharpshooters  and  exhort  them  to 
disband,  and  afterward  I  will  return  with  you  to  my  inn  in 
the  Passeyr  valley,  in  order  to  set  a  good  example  to  all,  and 
show  them  how  to  submit  quietly  and  patiently." 

And  Andreas  Hofer  acted  accordingly.  He  ordered  his 
men  to  disband,  and  after  they  had  obeyed  his  order  in  sullen 
silence,  he  himself,  accompanied  only  by  his  faithful  Cajetan 
Doninger,  went  back  to  his  home. 

But  neither  the  joyous  welcome,  with  which  his  wife,  faith- 
ful Anca  Gertrude,  received  him,  nor  the  jubilant  shouts  of 
his  chiJdren,  could  arouse  Andreas  Hofer  from  his  mournful 
brooding,  or  bring  a  smile  to  his  lips.  He  did  not  rejoice  at 
his  return  to  his  dear  ones  ;  he  paid  no  attention  to  his 
bvnness,  he  did  not  go  to  the  stables  and  barns  as  he  used 
to  do  ;  but  he  sat  hanging  his  head,  his  hands  folded  on  his 
knees,  staring  at  the  floor,  and  sighing  from  time  to  time, 
"  My  poor  country  !  How  could  the  emperor  abandon 
us?" 

Only  when  Cajetan  Doninger  was  not  with  him,  Andreas 
Hofer  became  uneasy  ;  he  glanced  around  anxiously  and 
called  for  his  secretary  ;  when  the  latter  hastened  to  him,  he 
held  out  his  hand  and  said  in  a  low,  tremulous  voice,  "  Caje- 
tan, do  not  leave  me.  I  always  think  I  may  have  something 
to  write  yet,  and  it  seems  to  me  as  though  what  I  dictated  to 
you  at  Steinach,  declaring  my  readiness  to  submit,  were  not 
the  last  of  my  official  papers.  Something  else  must  come  yet, 
— yes,  something  else.  I  know  it,  for  this  state  of  affairs  can- 
not last.  Therefore,  Cajetan,  stay  with  me  that  you  may  he 
ready  and  able  to  write  when  the  hour  has  come." 

Cajetan  stayed  with  him  ;  both  sat  together  in  silence,  and 
absorbed  in  their  gloomy  reflections,  and  the  days  passed 
slowly  and  mournfully. 

It  was  on  the  afternoon  of  the  fifth  day,  and  Andreas  Hofer 
sat  in  silence,  as  usual,  in  the  gloomy  room.  Every  thing  was 
still  without.  All  at  once  this  profound  silence  was  broken 
by  a  hum  of  many  voices  and  loud  noise. 

Hofer  looked  up  and  listened.  u  That  sounds  as  if  we  were 
still  at  war,  and  as  if  my  sharpshooters  were  marching  up," 
he  said. 


456  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Andreas  Hofer,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol ' " 
shouted  loud  voices  under  the  windows. 

Hofer  jumped  up.  "  Who  calls  me  ? "  he  shouted,  in  a 
powerful  voice. 

At  this  moment  the  door  was  thrown  open  violently,  and 
four  mountaineers,  armed  with  their  rifles,  came  in.  Hofer 
saw  through  the  open  door  that  the  yard  in  front  of  the  house 
was  thronged  with  peasants,  and  all  looked  with  flashing 
eyes  through  the  door  at  Hofer  ;  and  they  shouted  now,  "  An- 
dreas Hofer,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol,  come  with  us, 
come  ! " 

Andreas  Hofer  seemed  all  at  once  animated  hy  new  life  ; 
his  eyes  shot  fire,  his  form  was  drawn  up  to  its  full  height, 
and  his  head  rose  again  proudly  between  his  powerful  shoul- 
ders. 

''What  do  you  want  of  me,  my  dear  countrymen  ?"  he 
asked,  going  to  meet  them. 

One  of  the  four  sharpshooters  who  had  entered  the  room 
now  came  forward,  and  placed  himself  with  a  defiant  face  in 
front  of  Hofer. 

"We  want  you,"  he  said.  "Three  thousand  French  soL 
diers  are  marching  across  the  Janfen.  There  is  great  excite^ 
ment  in  the  Puster  valley,  and  some  fighting  has  taken  place. 
Anthony  Wallner  has  driven  the  Bavarians  long  since  across 
the  frontier,  and  Speckbacher  and  the  Capuchin  have  marched 
to  the  Miihlbach  Pass  in  order  to  attack  Rusca.  And  why  are 
we  to  keep  quiet,  then  ?  Why  are  we  to  allow  the  French  to 
enter  the  Passeyr  valley  ? " 

"  We  will  not  allow  them  to  do  it  1 "  shouted  the  peasants 
outside.  "  No,  we  will  not  allow  the  French  to  enter  the  Pas- 
seyr valley." 

"  You  hear  it,  commander-in-chief,"  said  the  first  speaker. 
"We  are  all  ready  and  determined.  Now  say  what  we 
are  to  do  with  tho  French.  Will  you  do  any  thing  or 
not?'? 

"  Yes,  will  you  do  any  thing  or  not  ? "  repeated  the  peas- 
ants, penetrating  with  furious  gestures  into  the  room. 

"  If  you  do  not  want  to  do  any  thing,"  cried  the  peasant, 
raising  his  rifle  menacingly,  "  my  rifle  is  loaded  for  you  as 


DREADFUL   TIDINGS.  457 

well  as  for  any  Frenchman.     You  commenced  the  insurrec- 
tion, now  put  it  through."  * 

"  But  you  know,  countrymen,  that  I  cannot !  "  cried  Hofer. 
"  The  emperor  has  made  peace  with  Bonaparte  and  abandoned 
us.  What  course  have  we  left  but  that  of  submission  ?  We 
must  yield,  or  the  Tyrol  will  be  ruined  entirely." 

"  But  we  do  not  want  to  submit,"  shouted  the  peasants, 
furiously.  "  And  the  whole  country  is  of  our  opinion  ;  no 
one  is  willing  to  submit.  We  will  die  rather  than  submit." 

"Issue  another  proclamation  calling  out  the  able-bodied 
men  ! "  said  the  first  speaker. 

"  Yes,  issue  another  proclamation,  commander-in-chief,'' 
shouted  the  crowd.  "  We  will  fight,  we  must  fight  !  " 

"  And  you  shall  and  must  be  our  leader  !  "  exclaimed  the 
peasant,  laying  his  heavy  hand  on  Hofer's  shoulder.  "  We 
will  compel  you  to  go  with  us  or  kill  you  as  a  traitor.  Issue 
another  proclamation.  We  men  are  still  the  same  as  before, 
and  so  is  our  cause  ;  now  you  must  likewise  be  the  same  An- 
dreas Hofer,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrol  ! " 

"  Yes,  exclaimed  Andreas,  with  a  radiant  face,  drawing  a 
deep  breath,  as  if  relieved  from  an  oppressive  burden,  "  yes,  I 
will  be  the  same  as  before.  This  state  of  affairs  cannot  con- 
tinue. We  must  fight ;  we  had  better  die  than  lead  such  a 
life.  Go,  Doninger,  go  ;  write  a  proclamation  ! " 

"Hurrah  !  Long  live  our  commander-in-chief,"  shouted 
the  peasants,  triumphantly  ;  "  long  live  our  dear  faithful  An- 
dreas Hofer  1 " 

u  I  thank  you,  my  dear  countrymen,"  said  Andreas  ;  "  I 
am  your  leader  now,  and  we  will  fight  again.  But  do  not 
hold  me  responsible  for  the  events  of  the  future.  You  must 
never  forget  that  you  compelled  me  to  resume  war.  I  in- 
tended to  submit  humbly  and  patiently,  but  you  would  not 
allow  me  to  do  so,  and  dragged  me  forcibly  from  my  retire- 
ment. The  bloody  struggle  will  commence  again — God  grant 
us  protection,  and  further  victories  !  We  are  not  going  to 
fight  from  motives  of  pride  and  arrogance,  but  onlv  for  the 
sake  of  our  country — because  we  want  to  remain  Germans, 

*  Loritza,  "  Bilder  und  Erinnerungen  aus  Tyrol's  Freiheitekampfen  von 
1809,"  p.  14. 

30 


4-58  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

and  do  not  want  to  become  French  subjects,  and  because  we 
want  to  keep  our  God,  our  liberty,  and  our  constitution. 
Amen  I" 


CHAPTER  XTJ, 

BETRAYAL  AND  SEIZURE  OF  HOFER. 

WAR  was  now  resumed  at  all  points  ;  but  the  forces  brought 
from  all  sides  against  the  Tyrol  were  so  immense  that  no  hope 
remained  to  the  inhabitants  but  by  deeds  of  glory  to  throw  a 
last  radiance  around  their  fall.  The  Tyrolese  fought  with 
desperate  valor,  but  their  heroism  was  unavailing.  The  supe- 
rior forces  of  the  enemy  were  everywhere  victorious.  The 
artillery  of  the  Bavarians  and  French  thinned  the  ranks  of  the 
mountaineers  from  day  to  day  ;  whole  ranks  of  the  Tyrolese 
being  mowed  down  by  the  balls  of  the  enemy.  They  fled 
panic-struck  into  the  mountains.  The  victorious  invaders 
penetrated  farther  and  farther  into  the  ulterior  of  the  country  ; 
burning  towns  and  villages  marked  the  route  which  they  fol- 
lowed, and  wails  and  lamentations  rent  the  air  wherever  they 
made  their  appearance. 

Before  the  middle  of  December  all  resistance  had  been 
overpowered.  The  enemy  stalked  hi  a  merciless  manner  over 
the  gory,  reeking,  groaning  Tyrol,  and  pursued  relentlessly  all 
who  had  dared  to  rise  against  him.  He  had  promised  ob- 
livion and  forgiveness  in  return  for  peaceful  submission  ;  but 
as  the  Tyrolese  had  not  submitted,  but  continued  the  struggle, 
the  enemy  now  threatened  to  revenge  himself  and  punish  the 
vanquished. 

A  furious  chase  now  commenced.  Every  one  who  had 
been  seized  with  arms  in  hand  was  shot ;  every  one  who  con- 
cealed one  of  the  pursued  patriots  in  his  house  was  executed, 
and  his  house  was  burned  down. 

The  leaders  of  the  Tyrolese  had  fled  into  the  mountains, 
but  the  French  generals  promised  large  rewards  for  the  heads 
of  the  most  influential  patriots  ;  and  the  soldiers  traversed  the 
country,  impelled  by  thirst  for  revenge  and  gain,  spying 


BETRAYAL  AXD  SEIZURE  OF  HOFER.  459 

everywhere  for  the  outlawed  mountaineers,  and  ascending 
even  to  the  snow-clad  summits  of  the  mountains  in  order  to 
obtain  the  large  rewards.  As  yet,  however,  they  had  not  suc- 
ceeded in  seizing  one  of  the  pursued  chiefs.  Ihe  French  gen- 
erals had  vainly  promised  a  reward  of  ten  thousand  florins 
for  the  apprehension  of  Andreas  Hofer,  and  rewards  of  five 
thousand  florins  for  the  seizure  of  Joseph  Spechbacher,  An- 
thony Wallner,  and  Joachim  Haspinger.  They  had  disap- 
peared, and  the  patrols  and  soldiers,  who  were  hunting  for  them, 
had  not  yet  been  able  to  discover  the  hiding-place  of  any  of 
the  four  great  chiefs  of  the  insurrection.  The  mountains, 
those  natural  fortresses  of  the  Tyrol,  protected  the  outlawed 
commanders  ;  and  in  the  Alpine  huts,  amidst  the  chamois 
and  vultures,  which  alone  saw  and  knew  their  hiding-places, 
there  were  no  traitors. 

Retiring  to  his  native  valley.  Andreas  Hofer  long  eluded 
the  search  of  the  victors.  His  place  of  concealment  was  a  sol- 
itary Alpine  hut,  four  leagues  distant  from  his  home,  in  gen- 
eral inaccessible  from  the  snow  which  surrounded  it.  Love 
had  accompanied  Andreas  to  this  inhospitable  spot.  His  wife 
and  his  son  John  were  with  him,  and  so  was  Cajetan  Donin- 
ger,  his  faithful  secretary.  Love  had  accompanied  him  to  the 
Alpine  hut  of  his  friend  Pfandler  ;  love  watched  over  him  in 
the  valley  below.  Many  peasants  there  were  well  aware  of 
Hofer's  place  of  concealment ;  but  no  one  betrayed  him,  no 
one  was  tempted  by  the  reward  of  ten  thousand  florins  which 
Baraguay  d'Hilliers,  the  French  general,  offered  for  Hofer's 
apprehension.  They  often  saw  Pfandler's  servants,  loaded 
with  all  sorts  of  provisions,  wending  then?  way  slowly  and 
painfully  up  the  snow-clad  Alp  ;  but  they  averted  their  heads, 
as  though  they  did  not  want  to  see  anything,  and  prayed  God 
in  a  low  tone  to  protect  the  messengers  who  conveyed  food  to 
Hofer  and  his  dear  ones.  The  peasants  in  the  valley  forbore 
carefully  to  speak  among  each  other  of  what  they  knew  ;  only 
they  treated  Pfandler  with  reverential  tenderness,  shook 
hands  with  him  quietly,  and  whispered,  "  God  bless  you  and 
him  ! "  At  times,  on  a  clear  winter  day,  when  thin  smoke 
curled  up  suddenly  from  the  Alp,  the  peasants  in  the  valley 
looked  up  sighingly  and  whispered  compassionately,  "  They 


460  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

have  built  a  fire  in  their  hut.  The  cold  is  so  severe.  God 
bless  them  ! "  But  whenever  one  whom  they  did  not  trust 
stepped  up  to  them,  wondering  at  the  smoke,  and  saying  that 
somebody  was  concealed  up  there,  and  had  built  a  fire  in  or- 
der not  to  freeze  to  death,  the  others  laughed  at  him,  and  said 
there  was  no  smoke  at  all,  but  only  snow  blown  up  by  the 
storm. 

One  day,  however,  a  stranger  arrived  in  the  valley,  and 
asked  whisperingly  for  Andreas  Hofer,  to  whom,  he  said,  he 
would  bring  assistance  and  safety.  At  first  no  one  replied  to 
him  ;  but  he  showed  them  a  paper,  bearing  the  name  and  seal 
of  the  Archduke  John,  and  containing  the  following  words, 
written  by  the  prince  himself  :  "  Help  my  messenger  to  find 
Andreas  Hofer,  and  bring  him  assistance  and  safety." 

On  reading  this,  the  peasants  distrusted  him  no  longer. 
They  glanced  furtively  up  to  the  Schneeberg,  pointed  to  the 
two  wanderers,  loaded  with  baskets,  who  were  toiling  up  the 
mountain  through  the  snow,  and  whispered  almost  inaudibly, 
"  Follow  them  ! " 

The  messenger  did  so.  He  climbed  after  the  two  servants, 
and  ascended  with  them  the  inhospitable,  dreary,  and  deserted 
heights.  At  length  he  arrived  in  front  of  the  Alpine  hut ;  he 
knocked  at  the  door,  and  asked  admittance  in  the  name  of  God 
and  the  Archduke  John. 

The  door  opened  immediately,  and  on  the  threshold  ap- 
peared Hofer's  tall,  bearded  form,  as  erect  and  vigorous  as  it 
had  been  in  the  days  of  his  splendor,  and  his  mild,  honest  eye 
greeted  the  new-comer. 

"  He  who  comes  in  the  name  of  God  and  the  Archduke 
John  will  not  deceive  me,"  said  Andreas,  kindly.  "  Come  in, 
therefore  ;  for  you  must  have  good  intentions  toward  me,  in- 
asmuch as  the  severe  cold  did  not  deter  you  from  coming  up 
to  me." 

"  Indeed  I  have  good  intentions  toward  you,"  said  the  mes- 
senger. "  Do  you  not  know  me,  then,  Andy  ?  I  am  Anthony 
Steeger,  the  Archduke  John's  gunsmith." 

"  Oh,  yes,  now  I  know  you  ! "  exclaimed  Andreas,  joyfully. 
"  I  saw  you  in  Vienna  at  the  time  we  were  there  to  devise 
plans  for  the  deliverance  of  the  Tyrol.  Well,  come  in,  An- 


BETRAYAL   AND   SEIZURE   OF   HOFER.  461 

thony  Steeger  ;  come  in  to  my  wife,  my  son,  and  my  secre 
tary." 

He  conducted  Anthony  Steeger  into  the  room,  where  the 
three  greeted  him,  and  made  room  for  him  in  front  of  the 
hearth,  on  which  large  billets  of  wood  were  burning. 

Anthony  Steeger  looked  around  in  this  wretched  room, 
which  contained  nothing  but  a  few  rickety  wooden  chairs,  and 
a  rough-hewn  pine  table,  and  the  walls  and  windows  of  which 
were  protected  from  the  cold  by  thick  linings  of  hay  and 
straw. 

"  Yes,  you  may  well  look  around  in  my  palace,"  said  An- 
dreas, smilingly  ;  "  it  is  not  very  gorgeous  here,  but  the  good 
God  is  with  us,  and  He  will  help  us  to  get  along." 

"  And  the  Archduke  John  will  help  you  also,"  said  An- 
thony Steeger.  "  Listen  to  me,  Andreas.  The  archduke  sends 
me  to  you.  He  sends  you  his  greetings,  and  entreats  you  to 
come  with  your  family  to  him  and  stay  with  him  all  your  life 
long,  or,  if  you  should  not  like  to  do  that,  at  least  until  you 
can  live  again  safely  in  the  Tyrol.  The  archduke  has  already 
fitted  up  a  house  for  you  in  a  village  which  belongs  to  him  ; 
you  shall  live  there  with  your  whole  family  as  the  beloved 
and  honored  guests  of  the  archduke.  He  implores  you  to  ac- 
cept his  invitation.  I  have  with  me  every  thing  that  is  neces- 
sary for  your  flight,  Andy.  The  archduke  has  given  me 
money,  a  passport  for  you  and  your  family,  and  safeguards  is- 
sued by  the  French  generals.  I  am  familiar  with  the  roads 
and  by-paths  in  this  vicinity,  and  will  convey  you  safely 
through  the  mountains.  The  archduke  has  thought  of  every 
thing  and  provided  for  every  thing." 

"  It  is  very  kind  in  the  dear  Archduke  John  not  to  have 
forgotten  me."  said  Andreas,  deeply  moved  ;  "  it  is  honest  and 
faithful  that  he  should  like  to  take  care  of  me  and  reward  my 
love.  And  it  is  very  kind  in  you,  too,  Anthony  Steeger,  to 
have  acted  in  this  spirit  of  self-denial.  You  have  come  from 
a  great  distance  to  save  us,  and  are  not  afraid  of  venturing 
with  us  upon  this  most  dangerous  flight." 

"  And  you  accept  my  offer,  Andy,  and  consent  to  accom- 
pany me,  do  you  not  ? " 

"  And  what  of  them  ? "  asked  Andreas,  casting  a  tender 


4:62  ANDREAS  HOFEB. 

glance  on  his  wife  and  his  son.  "The  route  across  the  gla- 
ciers is  impassable  for  a  woman  and  a  child." 

"  First  save  yourself,  my  Andy,"  exclaimed  Anna  Ger- 
trude ;  "  save  yourself  for  us  and  the  country.  After  you  are 
gone  and  have  arrived  at  a  place  of  safety,  the  enemy  will 
hardly  trouble  us  any  more,  and  I  will  follow  you  then  with 
the  children." 

"  You  need  not  be  anxious,  so  far  as  your  wife  and  children 
are  concerned,"  said  Doninger.  "  I  will  not  leave  them,  but 
bring  them  to  you." 

"  Pray  do  not  hesitate,  Andy,"  said  Anthony  Steeger,  ur- 
gently. ''  The  archduke  implores  you  not  to  grieve  him  by 
rejecting  his  offer,  but  to  relieve  his  conscience  from  the  heavy 
debt  which  he  has  hitherto  been  unable  to  discharge  to  the 
Tyrol.  You  shall  escape  for  his  sake  and  for  the  good  of  the 
fatherland,  and  save  your  life  for  better  times,  which  will 
surely  dawn  upon  the  Tyrol.  Do  it,  Andreas.  Let  us  go  to 
work  immediately.  See,  I  have  with  me  all  that  you  need, 
and  wear  two  suits  of  clothes ;  one  is  destined  for  you,  and 
you  will  put  it  on.  And  here  is  the  razor,  with  which  we 
shall  shave  off  your  beard  ;  and  when  it  is  gone,  and  you  have 
put  on  the  new  clothes,  no  one  will  scent  the  Barbone  in  the 
man  with  a  foreign  dress  and  a  smooth  chin.  Come,  now, 
Andy,  and  do  not  hesitate." 

"  I  am  to  make  quite  another  man  of  myself,"  said  Andreas, 
shaking  his  head,  "  merely  to  save  my  miserable  life  ?  I  am 
to  deny  my  dear  Passeyr  ?  I  am  to  shave  off  my  beard,  which 
I  have  worn  so  long  in  an  honorable  manner,  and  by  which 
every  one  knows  me  throughout  the  Tyrol  ?  No,  Anthony 
Steeger,  I  will  never  do  that ! " 

"  If  you  do  not,  Andreas,  you  are  lost,"  said  Anthony  Stee- 
ger. "  I  am  afraid  'he  French  are  already  on  your  ti*ack.  A 
peasant  said  he  had  seen  you  up  here  the  other  day. " 

uYes,  it  was  Raffel.  He  came  up  here  to  look  for  his 
cow,  and  met  me  here.  But  I  gave  him  money  not  to  be- 
tray my  secret,  and  he  promised  me  solemnly  that  he  would 
not." 

"  He  must  have  violated  his  pledge  already,  Andy  ;  for  he 
told  Donay,  the  priest,  about  it,  and  the  latter  boasted  pub- 


BETRAYAL   AND   SEIZURE   OF   EOFER  463 

licly  yesterday  that  lie  was  aware  of  Andreas  Hofer's  place  of 
concealment." 

"  It  is  true,  Donay  is  a  bad  and  mean  man,"  said  Andreas 
Hofer,  musingly  ;  "  but  I  do  not  believe  he  will  be  so  mean  as 
to  betray  me,  whom  he  always  called  his  best  commander-in- 
chief  and  dearest  friend." 

"  He  is  mean  enough  to  do  it,"  murmured  Doninger.  "  The 
magnitude  of  the  price  set  on  your  head  will  induce  him  to  be- 
tray his  benefactor." 

"  Andy,"  cried  Anna  Gertrude,  bursting  into  tears,  and 
clinging  to  her  husband,  '*  save  yourself  !  If  you  love  me  and 
the  children,  save  yourself  ;  cut  off  your  beard,  put  on  the 
new  suit  of  clothes,  and  escape  from  your  bloodthirsty  ene- 
mies. Save  yourself,  for  the  sake  of  your  wife  and  your 
poor  children  ! " 

"  I  cannot,"  said  Andreas,  mournfully,  embracing  his  wife 
tenderly  ,  "  no,  so  help  me  God,  I  cannot  leave  my  dear,  un- 
hap.  country.  I  know  full  well  that  I  shall  not  avert  any 
calamities  from  the  Tyrol  by  staying  here,  but  I  will  at  least 
share  its  misfortunes.  I  was  unable  to  save  my  native 
country  ;  I  will  therefore  suffer  with  it.  A  good  captain  does 
not  desert  his  shipwrecked  vessel,  but  dies  with  it ;  and  thus 
I  will  not  desert  my  country  either,  but  die  with  it.  I  will  do 
all  I  can  to  save^yself,  but  I  will  not  leave  the  Tyrol ;  I  will 
not  cut  off  my  beard  nor  put  on  other  clothes.  I  will  not 
mask  and  disguise  myself,  but  will  remain  in  adversity  what 
I  was  in  the  days  of  prosperity,  Andreas  Hofer,  the  Barbone. 
State  that  to  the  dear  archduke,  Anthony  Steeger,  and  tell  him 
also  that  I  am  very  grateful  to  him  for  wishing  to  save  me  in 
his  way,  and  that  I  hope  he  will  not  be  angry  with  me  for 
being  unable  to  accept  his  kind  offer,  or  for  wishing  to  live 
and  die  with  my  country.  If  he  wishes  to  do  any  thing  for 
me,  let  him  go  to  the  Emperor  Francis,  and  tell  him  I  am 
well  aware  that  he  himself  would  never  have  forgotten  us,  but 
that  his  bad  ministers  did  it  all,  and  betrayed  the  poor  Tyrol 
so  perfidiously.  Let  him  beseech  the  emperor  to  intercede 
vigorously  in  behalf  of  the  Tyrol  and  of  myself,  but  not  to 
separate  me  from  the  Tyrol."  * 

*  "  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  188. 


464  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  Andreas,"  cried  his  wife,  despairingly,  "  you  are  lost — I 
feel  it  here  in  my  heart — you  are  lost,  if  you  do  not  flee  with 
Steeger  this  very  night." 

"  And  I  feel  it  here  in  my  heart  that  I  must  stay  here,  even 
though  I  should  be  lost,"  said  Andreas,  firmly.  "  Well,  you 
must  weep  no  more,  Anna  Gertrude  ;  and  you,  Anthony  Stee- 
ger,  accept  my  cordial  thanks  for  your  kind  and  generous  in- 
tentions." 

44  Then  you  have  made  up  your  mind,  Andy,  not  to  go  with 
me?" 

"  I  have,  Anthony.  But  if  you  will  do  me  a  great  favor, 
take  my  wife  and  my  boy  with  you,  for  the  enemy  threatens 
them  as  well  as  me.  Take  them  with  you,  Anthony,  convey 
them  across  the  mountains,  and  conduct  them  to  the  Archduke 
John." 

*'  It  is  impossible,"  said  Anthony  Steeger,  mournfully,  "  the 
roads  are  so  full  of  snow  that  they  are  utterly  impassable  for 
women  and  children." 

"  And  you  would  advise  me  to  leave  them  here  ? "  asked 
Andreas  Hofer,  reproachfully.  "  I  am  to  leave  here  my  most 
precious  treasures  merely  to  save  my  miserable  life  ?  No,  my 
friend,  I  shall  stay  here  with  my  wife  and  child  and  Doninger 
there.  But  you  must  go  now  and  save  yourself  ;  for,  if  the 
enemy  should  really  come,  it  would  be  bad  for  you  to  be  found 
here." 

"  I  will  go,  Andy,  not  to  save  myself,  however,  but  to  con- 
vey your  message  speedily  to  the  archduke,  that  he  may  save 
you  in  another  way  by  the  emperor's  intercession.  In  the 
valley  I  shall  tell  every  one  that  you  are  no  longer  in  this  Al- 
pine hut,  but  have  already  succeeded  in  escaping  to  Vienna, 
so  that  it  will  be  unnecessary  for  the  enemy  to  pursue  you 
any  longer." 

"  Do  so,  Anthony  Steeger  ;  and  if  they  believe  you,  I  shall 
be  glad  of  it.  But  go  now  ;  I  am  anxious  on  your  account, 
and  think  something  might  happen  to  you  here.  Go,  my  dear 
friend." 

He  drew  Steeger  to  the  door,  and,  not  permitting  him  to 
take  a  long  leave  of  the  others,  conducted  him  out  of  the  hut, 
and  then  embraced  him  tenderly.  "  Now  listen  to  what  I  wish 


BETRAYAL   AXD   SEIZURE   OF   HOFER.  465 

to  tell  you,"  he  whispered,  in  a  low  voice.  "  I  must  stay  here 
to  save  rny  wife  and  my  boy.  The  two  cannot  flee  now,  as 
you  yourself  admitted  to  me.  If  I  should  escape  now,  and 
leave  them  here,  the  enemy  would  spy  out  their  place  of  con- 
cealment and  revenge  himself  upon  them  ;  he  would  torture 
and  kill  them  in  his  rage  at  not  having  captured  me.  But  if 
I  stay,  and  the  French  should  find  me,  I  believe  they  would 
release  my  wife  and  my  son  and  do  no  harm  to  them  ;  for 
then  they  would  have  got  me,  and  they  are  entirely  innocent. 
Go,  then,  my  dear  friend  ;  tell  the  archduke  all  I  have  said  to 
you,  and  greet  him  a  thousand  times  from  his  faithful  Andy. 
Now  farewell,  and  go  with  God's  blessing  ! " 

He  nodded  once  more  kindly  to  Anthony  Steeger.  and  re- 
turned quickly  into  the  Alpine  hut.  He  found  his  wife  in 
tears  ;  little  John,  her  son,  was  kneeling  before  her,  with  his 
head  against  his  mother's  knees,  and  weeping  also.  Doninger 
stood  at  the  hearth  and  stared  into  the  fire. 

Andreas  Hofer  went  to  him  and  laid  his  hand  gently  on 
his  shoulder.  "  Cajetan,"  he  asked,  mildly,  "  did  I  do  right  ? " 

"  Yes,  commander-in-chief,  you  did,"  said  Doninger,  sol- 
emnly. 

14 1  want  to  tell  you  something  more,  Cajetan,"  added  An- 
dreas. "  What  Steeger  said  about  Raffel  and  Donay  may  be 
true  ;  the  French  may  have  discovered  my  place  of  conceal- 
ment, and  may  come  up  here.  Hence,  dear  Cajetan,  you  must 
leave  me  and  escape,  lest  they  should  seize  you,  too." 

"  A  good  servant  leaves  his  master  no  more  than  a  captain 
deserts  his  shipwrecked  vessel,"  said  Doninger,  firmly.  "You 
refuse  to  leave  your  native  country  in  its  adversity  because 
you  love  it.  I  refuse,  likewise,  to  leave  you  in  the  days  of 
your  adversity,  because  I  love  you.  I  shall  stay  here." 

Andreas  Hofer  encircled  Doninger  with  his  arms  and  fold- 
ed him  tenderly  to  his  heart.  "  Stay  with  me,  then,  my  Caje- 
tan," he  said,  affectionately.  4'  God  knows  my  heart  would 
have  grieved  had  you  consented  to  leave  me.  And  now,  Anna 
Gertrude,  do  not  weep  any  longer.  Make  haste,  dear  wife, 
pack  up  all  your  things,  and  let  us  go  early  to  bed.  For  early 
in  the  morning  we  will  leave  this  hut.  I  know  another  Al- 
pine hut  at  no  great  distance  from  here  ;  I  believe  we  will  be 


466  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

able  to  get  thither,  and  we  will  take  with  us  as  many  things 
as  we  can  carry.  Make  haste,  therefore,  dear  Anna  Ger- 
trude ! " 

Anna  Gertrude  dried  her  tears,  and,  flushed  with  new  hope, 
packed  up  their  things  in  four  small  bundles,  so  that  each 
might  carry  one  according  to  his  strength. 

Night  came  at  last—  the  last  night  which  they  were  to  pass 
at  this  hut.  At  the  break  of  day  they  were  to  set  out  for  their 
new  place  of  concealment. 

They  went  to  bed  at  an  early  hour.  Andreas  Hofer  had  sent 
the  two  servants  down  to  Brandach,  where  they  were  to  get 
some  articles  necessary  for  the  trip  on  the  morrow.  Hofer 
and  his  wife  slept  in  the  room  below.  Cajetan  Doninger  and 
little  John  Hofer  lay  in  the  small  hay-loft,  to  which  a  ladder 
led  up  from  the  room. 

But  Doninger  did  not  sleep.  He  thought  all  the  while  of 
Raffel,  who  had  come  up  there  three  days  ago  and  seen  An- 
dreas ;  he  thought  of  Donay,  the  priest,  to  whom  Raffel  had 
betrayed  Hofer's  place  of  concealment.  He  knew  that  Donay, 
who,  up  to  the  days  of  adversity,  had  always  professed  to  be 
Hofer's  friend  and  an  extreme  partisan  of  the  insurrection, 
had  sudd-  ~ily,  since  the  enemy  had  reoccupied  the  Tyrol, 
changed  his  colors,  become  a  preacher  of  peace  and  submission, 
and  an  ardent  adherent  of  the  French,  with  whose  officers  he 
held  a  great  deal  of  intercouT-se.  He  knew  Donay's  avaricious 
and  treacherous  character,  and,  therefore,  he  trembled  for  An- 
dreas Hofer's  safety.  He  lay  uneasy  and  full  of  anxiety  on 
his  couch,  listening  all  the  while  for  suspicious  sounds.  But 
nothing  was  heard  but  the  storm  howling  and  whistling  about 
the  hut,  and  the  regular  respirations  of  the  two  sleepers  in  the 
room  below. 

Hour  passed  after  hour  ;  all  remained  silent,  and  Doninger 
felt  somewhat  relieved,  for  day  would  soon  dawn,  when  the 
hour  of  flight  would  be  at  hand.  Doninpc  r  dropped  his  head 
slowly  on  the  hay  to  sleep  an  hour  and  invigorate  himself  for 
to-morrow's  trip.  However,  no  sooner  had  he  done  so  than 
he  gave  a  start,  lifted  up  his  head  again,  and  listened.  He  had 
heard  a  sound  outside.  The  sound,  as  it  were,  of  many  ap- 
proaching footsteps  which  creaked  on  the  frozen  snow. 


BETRAYAL  AND  SEIZURE  OF  HOFEB.  467 

Doninger  crept  cautiously  to  the  small  hole  in  the  roof  and 
looked  out.  The  moon  shed  her  pale  light  on  the  white  snow- 
field  around  the  hut,  and  Doninger  could  see  and  recognize 
every  thing.  He  saw  a  detachment  of  soldiers  coming  up  yon- 
der. He  saw  them  halt  at  a  short  distance  from  the  hut.  He 
then  saw  two  forms  approaching  the  hut.  Now  they  stood 
still  in  front  of  it.  The  moon  shone  brightly  into  the  face  of 
one  of  them  ;  Doninger  recognized  him  him  at  once  ;  it  was 
Raffel,  the  betrayer.  The  other  was  a  French  officer.  The 
latter  stood  still  at  a  distance  of  spme  steps  from  the  hut,  but 
Ratt'el  went  close  up  to  the  door,  applied  his  ear  to  it  and 
listened. 

"  They  are  here,"  he  then  said  to  the  officer  in  a  low  voice. 
The  officer  immediately  lifted  up  his  arm  and  shouted  "  For- 
ward !  "  The  soldiers  advanced  and  surrounded  the  hut.  All 
was  lost  ! 

Doninger  awakened  the  sleeping  boy.  "John,"  he  said 
in  a  low  voice,  "  let  us  go  down  to  father.  The  French  have 
come." 

The  boy  uttered  a  loud  cry.  "  The  French  have  come  ! " 
he  exclaimed,  despairingly  ;  "they  want  to  arrest  my  fa- 
ther !" 

"  Come,"  said  Doninger,  imperatively  ;  and  he  took  the 
boy  in  his  arms,  and  hastened  with  him  down  the  ladder  into 
the  room  below. 

"  Awake."  he  said,  bending  over  Andreas  Hofer  ;  "  the  ene- 
my has  come. 

Andreas  started  up  and  stared  incredulously  at  Doninger  ; 
but  his  wife  rose,  uttering  low  lamentations,  and  dressed  her- 
self hurriedly 

"Let  us  fle  "  she  murmured  ;  "quick,  quick,  let  us  escape 
by  the  back  door." 

"  The  hut  is  surrounded."  sai  Doninger,  assisting  Hofer  in 
dressing.  "W  can  no  longer  flee." 

"  Is  that  true  ? ''  asked  Andreas,  calmly. 

"It  is,  commander-in-chief." 

"Well,  then,  as  it  pleases  Go«i,"  said  Hofer,  crossing  him- 
self ;  and,  traversing  the  room  quickly,  he  opened  the  front 
door. 


468  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

The  soldiers  stood  four  files  deep,  shouldering  their  mus- 
kets. Andreas  advanced  fearlessly  close  up  to  the  enemy. 

"  Is  there  one  of  you,  gentlemen,  who  speaks  German  ? "  he 
asked,  with  entire  calmness. 

"  I  do,"  said  the  officer,  stepping  rapidly  forward. 

Andreas  greeted  him  with  a  proud  nod  of  the  head. 
"  Well,  then,"  he  said,  "  I  am  Andreas  Hofer,  late  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  Tyrolese.  I  ask  for  quarter  and  good  treat- 
ment." 

"  I  cannot  promise  any  thing  to  a  rebel,"  replied  the  officer, 
contemptuously. 

"  But  you  have  come  to  seize  me,  and  none  but  me,"  con- 
tinued Andreas,  in  a  gentle  voice.  "  Well,  then,  here  I  am  ; 
do  with  me  as  you  please.  But  I  ask  you  to  have  mercy  upon 
my  wife  and  my  son,  and  this  young  man,  for  they  are  en- 
tirely innocent."  * 

The  officer  made  no  reply.  He  signed  to  his  soldiers,  and 
ordered  them  to  bind  Andreas  Hofer  and  the  others  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  render  it  utterly  impossible  for  them  to  es- 
cape. 

TLo  soldiers  rushed  furiously  upon  the  defenseless  captives, 
tied  their  hands  on  their  backs,  and  wound  the  ropes  round 
their  necks,  so  that  they  could  drag  them  forward  like  oxen. 
And  after  binding  Andreas  Hofer,  so  that  they  were  no  longer 
afraid  of  his  strong  arms,  they  surrounded  him  with  scornful 
laughter,  tore  hc-ndfuls  of  hair  from  his  beard,  and  said  they 
would  keep  them  "as  souve  irs  <-f  General  Barbone."  Blood 
streamed  from  his  lacerated  face,  but  the  cold  froze  it  and 
transformed  the  gory  beard  into  a  blood-red  icicle,  which 
pricked  the  numerous  wounds  in  his  chin  every  moment,  and 
inflicted  intense  pain. 

Andreas  did  not  complain  ;  he  looked  only  at  his  wife,  his 
son,  and  his  friend,  who,  bound  like  himself,  scantily  dressed 
and  barefooted  like  himself,  were  dragged  down  the  moun- 
tain, which  was  covered  with  snow  and  ice,  into  the  plain  be- 
low. His  hands,  into  which  the  rope  was  cutting  all  the  while, 
were  very  sore  ;  his  bare  feet  swelled  from  walking  on  the 
snow  and  were  torn  by  the  icicles.  Still  Andreas  did  not  com- 

*  Andreas  Hofer's  own  words. — See  "  Gallery  of  Heroes." 


BETRAYAL  AND   SEIZURE   OF   HOFER.  469 

plain  ;  but  on  hearing  the  low  wails  of  his  son,  on  seeing  that 
every  footstep  of  his  wife,  who  was  dragged  along  before  him, 
left  a  bloody  spot  in  the  snow,  he  burst  into  loud  sobs,  and  two 
tears  rolled  slowly  down  his  cheeks  into  his  beard,  where  they 
froze  in  the  blood. 

The  dreadful  march  was  continued  to  Meran.  French  gen- 
erals, staff-officers,  and  soldiers  awaited  the  tottering  prisoners 
at  the  gate.  The  soldiers  greeted  the  captured  "  bandit  chief 
Barbone "  with  loud  cheers  and  scornful  laughter  ;  and  An- 
dreas Hofer  and  the  others  entered  the  city,  preceded  by  a 
band  which  played  a  ringing  march.  The  French  were  over- 
joyed, but  the  citizens  stood  in  front  of  their  houses,  and,  re- 
gardless of  the  presence  of  their  cruel  enemies,  greeted  Andreas 
Hofer  with  tears  and  loud  lamentations. 

The  journey  was  continued  on  the  following  day  to  Bot- 
zen  ;  only  the  prisoners,  whose  bleeding  and  lacerated  fe§t 
refused  to  carry  them  any  longer,  had  been  laid  on  a  com- 
mon farm- wagon,  and  some  clothing  had  been  thrown  over 
them. 

At  Botzen  Andreas  Hofer  received  cheering  news.  A  noble 
German  lady,  the  wife  of  Baron  de  Giovanelli,  had  dared  to 
implore  the  French  General  Baraguay  d'Hilliers  to  have 
mercy  on  Hofer's  unfortunate  and  innocent  family  ;  to  save 
them,  she  had  knelt  down  before  the  general  and  besought 
him  with  heart-rending  lamentations.  Baraguay  d'Hilliers 
had  been  unable  to  withstand  her  supplications,  and  consented 
to  release  those  for  whom  she  pleaded. 

"  The  viceroy's  orders,"  he  said,  "  are  only  to  the  effect  that 
the  Sandwirth  Hofer  be  conveyed  to  Mantua.  I  yield  to  your 
prayers,  therefore,  madame  ;  his  companions  shall  be  released, 
and  shall  not  be  molested  again.  His  wife  may  return  with 
her  son  to  her  home,  and  carry  on  the  inn  as  heretofore  ;  but 
she  must  be  cautious  and  not  expose  herself  to  new  dangers 
by  imprudent  words.  The  young  man  may  go  wherever  he 
pleases." 

This  was  the  cheering  intelligence  which  Andreas  Hofer 
received  on  the  third  day  of  his  captivity  in  the  jail  where  he 
and  his  dear  ones  lay  on  wet  straw. 

"  See,  Cajetan,"  he  exclaimed,  joyfully,  "  it  turns  out  just 


470  ANDREAS   HOFEB. 

as  I  said.  My  seizure  releases  my  wife  and  my  child,  and  re- 
lieves them  from  all  dangers." 

•'  But  I  will  not  leave  you,"  cried  Anna  Gertrude,  embrac- 
ing him  tenderly  ;  "I  will  stay  and  die  with  you." 

"  And  is  our  son  yonder  to  die  too  ? "  asked  Andreas,  point- 
ing to  his  boy.  "  And  our  three  little  girls,  are  they  to  become 
entirely  helpless,  and  have  neither  father  nor  mother  to  pro- 
tect them  ?  Anna  Gertrude,  you  must  be  father  and  mother 
to  them  ;  you  must  not  leave  them  and  our  boy.  You  must 
preserve  their  small  inheritance  to  them,  bring  them  up  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  and  teach  them,  also,  to  love  their  poor  father 
and  honor  his  memory." 

"  Husband,  dear  husband,  I  cannot  leave  you,  I  cannot  ! " 
sobbed  the  poor  woman.  "  Do  not  thrust  me  from  your  heart, 
do  not  leave  me  behind,  all  alone  and  without  consolation." 

Andreas  lifted  his  arm  and  pointed  up  to  heaven.  "  There 
is  our  Consoler,"  he  said  ;  "  He  will  help  you.  Confide  in 
Him,  Anna  Gertrude.  Go  to  your  children,  be  father  and 
mother  to  them,  and  love  them  in  my  and  your  name." 

At  this  moment  the  door  of  the  prison  opened,  and  the 
jailer,  followed  by  soldiers,  came  in. 

"  Andreas  Hofer,"  said  the  jailer,  imperatively,  "  come  ! 
The  wagon  which  is  to  convey  you  to  Mantua  is  in  readiness. 
As  for  you  others,  begone  ;  you  have  no  longer  any  busi- 
ness here.  Come,  Andreas  Hofer,  come  ! " 

"  Let  me  first  bless  my  wife  and  my  son,  my  friend,"  said 
Hofer,  and,  laying  his  hands  on  the  heads  of  his  wife  and 
child,  he  blessed  them  in  a  loud  voice,  and  commended  them 
to  the  protection  of  the  Lord.  Doninger  knelt  behind  him, 
and  Andreas  Hofer  laid  his  hand  on  his  head  also,  blessed  him, 
and  thanked  him  for  his  love  and  fidelity. 

"Come  now,  come  !"  cried  the  soldiers  ;  and  they  seized 
him  with  rude  violence  and  dragged  him  forward. 

Anna  Gertrude  burst  into  loud  lamentations  in  her  grief 
and  despair,  and  clung  to  Hofer  in  the  anguish  of  her  love. 

"  Do  not  lament  any  longer,"  said  Andreas,  mildly  ;  "bring 
your  grief  as  an  offering  to  the  crucified  Redeemer,  and  show 
now  that  you  are  Hofer's  wife.  Farewell,  love  1  Kiss  our 
children  !  Forward  now  ! " 


BETRAYAL   AND   SEIZURE   OF   HOFER.  4-71 

And  he  led  the  way  with  a  rapid  step.  Anna  Gertrude, 
pale  as  a  corpse,  trembling  and  tottering,  seized  her  son's  hand 
ami  rushed  after  her  husband.  Cajetan  Doninger  followed 
them  resolutely  and  with  a  defiant  expression  of  countenance. 

At  the  street-door  stood  the  farm-wagon,  covered  with 
stra.v,  which  was  to  convey  Andreas  Holer  to  Mantua.  Ten 
soldiers  with  loaded  uiuskets  stood  upon  it,  and  a  crowd  of  sol- 
diers surrounded  it. 

Andreas  Hofer  walked  calmly  and  with  head  erect  through 
their  ranks  to  the  wagon.  His  wife  had  knelt  down  ;  she 
wept  and  sobbed  bitterly,  and  embraced  convulsively  her  son, 
who  gazed  in  dismay  at  his  father. 

Andreas  Hofer  had  now  ascended  the  wagon.  The  soldiers 
stepped  back,  and  the  driver  whipped  up  the  horses. 

Suddenly,  Cajetan  Doninger  elbowed  his  way  to  the  wagon, 
and  signed  to  the  driver  to  stop. 

"  I  shall  accompany  Hofer,"  he  said,  grasping  the  side-rail- 
ing of  the  wagon  in  order  to  mount  it. 

"No,  no,"  cried  the  jailer,  hastening  to  him.  "You  are 
mistaken,  you  are  free." 

Doninger,  still  clinging  to  the  railing  of  the  wagon,  turned 
to  him.  "  What  said  the  general's  order  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  It  said,  '  the  young  man  is  free,  and  can  go  wherever  he 
pleases.' " 

"Well,  then,"  said  Doninger,  mounting  the  wagon,  quickly, 
"  the  young1  man  will  accompany  Andreas  Hofer  to  Mantua. 
Forward,  driver,  forward  !  " 

The  driver  whipped  up  the  horses,  and  the  wagon  started 
for  Mantua.* 

*  Donay,  the  priest  who  betrayed  Andreas  Hofer,  according  to  the  general 
belief  of  the  Tyrolese,  was  soon  afterwards  appointed  imperial  chaplain  at  the 
chapel  of  Loretto,  by  a  special  decree  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  and  received, 
besides,  large  donations  in  lands  and  money. — See  Hormayr's  "  Andreas 
Hofer,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  507.— The  peasant  Francis  Joseph  Raffel,  who  had  betrayed 
Hofer's  place  of  concealment  to  Donay,  was  afterward  called  Judas  Jscariot 
throughout  the  Tyrol.  Every  one  turned  his  back  upon  him  with  the  ut- 
most horror,  and  the  men  of  the  Passeyr  valley  told  him  they  would  shoot 
him  if  he  did  not  hang  himself  within  a  week.  Raft'el  fled  in  great  dismay 
to  Bavaria,  where  the  government  gave  him  a  small  office  in  the  revenue  de- 
partment.—See  "  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  191. 


4:72  ANDREAS   DOFER. 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE  WARNING. 

THE  French  hunted  throughout  the  Tyrol  for  the  unfor- 
tunate men  who  had  hitherto  been  the  heroes  of  the  father- 
land, but  who,  since  their  cause  had  succumbed,  were  called 
rebels  and  traitors.  The  soldiers  who  were  in  search  of  this 
noble  game,  for  which  large  rewards  were  offered  to  them,  had 
already  succeeded  in  arresting  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Tyrol : 
Peter  Mayer  had  fallen  into  their  hands,  and,  having  been 
tried  by  a  military  commission  at  Botzen,  was  shot.  But  they 
had  been  unable  as  yet  to  discover  the  hiding-places  of  the 
other  insurgent  leaders,  despite  the  large  prices  which  the 
government  had  set  upon  their  heads.  Joseph  Speckbacher, 
for  whom  the  soldiers  were  hunting  most  eagerly,  had  disap- 
peared. The  French  and  Bavarians  ransacked  every  house 
where  they  suspected  he  might  be  concealed  ;  they  inflicted 
the  heaviest  fines  and  most  cruel  tortures  on  the  friends  of  the 
fugitive  c  oief,  because  they  would  not  betray  the  place  where 
their  beloved  commander  was  concealed  ;  but  all  was  in  vain. 
Joseph  Speckbacher  had  disappeared,  and  so  had  Father  Has- 
pinger  and  Anthony  Wallner.* 

*  Speckbacher  had  fled  to  the  higher  mountains,  where,  on  one  of  the 
summits  of  the  Eisgletecher,  in  a  cavern  discovered  by  him  in  former  times 
when  pursuing  the  chamois,  he  lay  for  several  weeks  in  the  depth  of  winter, 
supported  by  salt  provisions,  eaten  raw,  lest  the  smoke  of  a  fire  should  betray 
his  place  of  concealment  to  his  pursuers.  Happening  one  day,  in  the  begin' 
ning  of  March,  to  walk  to  the  entrance  for  a  few  minutes  to  enjoy  the  as- 
cending sun,  an  avalanche,  descending  from  the  summit  of  the  mountain 
above,  swept  him  along  with  it,  down  to  the  distance  of  half  a  mile  on  the 
slope  beneath,  and  dislocated  his  hip-bone  in  the  fall.  Unable  now  to  stand, 
surrounded  only  by  ice  and  snow,  tracked  on  every  side  by  ruthless  pursuers, 
his  situation  was,  to  all  appearance,  desperate ;  but  even  then  the  unconquer- 
able energy  of  his  mind  and  the  incorruptible  fidelity  of  his  friends  saved 
him  from  destruction.  Summoning  up  all  his  courage,  he  contrived  to  drag 
himself  along  the  snow  for  several  leagues,  during  the  night,  to  the  village  of 
Volderberg,  where,  to  avoid  discovery,  he  crept  into  the  stable.  His  faithful 
friend  gave  him  a  kind  reception,  and  carried  him  on  his  back  to  Einn,  where 
hi*  wife  and  children  were,  and  where  Zoppel,  his  devoted  domestic,  con- 


THE  WARNING.  473 

General  Broussier  was  especially  exasperated  at  the  last 
named,  the  valiant  commander  of  Windisch-Matrey,  and  he 
had  promised  a  reward  of  one  thousand  ducats  to  him  who 
would  arrest  "that  dangerous  demagogue  and  bandit-chief, 
Anthony  Aichberger-Wallner,"  and  deliver  him  to  the  French 
authorities.  But  Wallner  and  his  two  sons,  who,  although 
hardly  above  the  age  of  boyhood,  had  seemed  to  the  French 
authorities  so  dangerous  that  they  had  set  prices  upon  their 
heads,  were  not  to  be  found  anywhere.  Schropfel,  Wallner's 
faithful  servant,  had  taken  the  boys  into  the  mountains,  where 
he  stayed  with  them  ;  after  nightfall  he  went  down  to  Matrey 
to  fetch  provisions  for  the  lonely  fugitives. 

Anthony  Wallner's  fine  house  was  silent  and  deserted  now. 
Only  his  wife  and  his  daughter  Eliza  lived  in  it,  and  they 
passed  their  days  in  dreary  loneliness  and  incessant  fear  and 
anguish.  Eliza  Wallner  was  alone,  all  alone  and  joyless. 
She  had  not  seen  her  beloved  Elza  since  the  day  when  she  was 
married.  She  herself  had  started  the  same  night  with  Has- 
pinger  for  her  father's  headquarters.  Elza  had  remained  with 
her  young  husband  in  Innspruck,  where  her  father  died  on 
the  following  day  ;  and  after  the  old  Baron  had  been  buried, 
Elza  had  accompanied  her  husband  to  Munich.  From  thence 
she  wrote  from  time  to  time  letters  overflowing  with  fervent 

cealed  him  in  a  hole  in  the  cowhouse,  beneath  where  the  cattle  stood,  though 
beyond  the  reach  of  their  feet,  where  he  was  covered  up  with  cow-dung  and 
fodder,  and  remained  for  two  months,  till  his  leg  was  set  and  he  was  able  to 
walk.  The  town  was  full  of  Bavarian  troops ;  but  this  extraordinary  place 
of  concealment  was  never  discovered,  even  when  the  Bavarian  dragoons,  as 
was  frequently  the  case,  were  in  the  stable  looking  after  their  horses.  Zoppel 
did  not  even  inform  Speckbacher's  wife  of  her  husband's  return,  lest  her 
emotions  or  visits  to  the  place  might  betray  his  place  of  concealment  At 
length,  in  the  beginning  of  May,  the  Bavarian  soldiers  having  left  the  house, 
S  peck  bacher  was  lifted  from  his  living  grave  and  restored  to  his  wife  and 
children.  As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  walk,  he  set  out,  and,  journeying  chiefly 
in  the  night,  through  the  wildest  and  most  secluded  Alps,  by  Dux  and  the 
sources  of  the  Salza,  he  passed  the  Styrian  Alps,  where  he  crossed  the  frontier 
and  reached  Vienna  in  safety.  There  he  was  soon  after  joined  by  his  family 
and  liberally  provided  for. 

Haspinger  succeeded  in  escaping  into  Switzerland,  whence  he  travelled 
by  cross-paths  through  Friuli  and  Carinthia  to  Vienna,  where  he  received 
protection  from  the  emperor. 
31 


ANDREAS   HOFER, 

tenderness  to  her  beloved  friend,  and  these  letters  were  the 
only  sunbeams  which  illuminated  Eliza's  cheerless  life  ;  these 
letters  told  her  of  her  f  riend's  happiness,  of  her  attachment  to 
her  young  husband,  who  treated  her  with  the  utmost  kindness 
and  tenderness. 

Eliza  had  received  this  afternoon  another  letter  from  her 
friend  ;  with  a  melancholy  smile  she  read  Elza's  description 
of  her  domestic  happiness,  and  her  eyes  had  unconsciously 
filled  with  tears  which  rolled  slowly  down  her  pale  checks. 
She  dried  them  quickly,  but  her  mother,  who  sat  opposite  her 
near  the  lamp  and  seemed  to  be  busily  sewing,  had  already 
seen  them. 

"  Why  do  you  weep,  Lizzie  ?''  she  asked.  "  Have  you  got 
bad  news  from  Elza  ?" 

Eliza  shook  her  head  with  a  mournful  smile.  "  No,  dear 
mother,"  she  said  ;  "  thank  God,  my  Elza  is  happy  and  well, 
and  that  is  my  only  joy." 

"And  yet  you  weep,  Eliza  ?" 

"  Did  I  weep,  then  ?"  she  asked.  "  It  was  probably  a  tear 
of  joy  at  my  Elza's  happiness." 

u  No,  Lizzie,  it  was  no  tear  of  joy,"  cried  her  mother, 
mournfully.  "  I  see  you  often  in  tears,  when  you  think  tliat 
I  do  not  notice  it.  You  are  grieving,  Lizzie,  do  not  deny  it ; 
you  are  grieving.  I'ou  sacrificed  your  love  and  happiness  to 
Elza,  and  she  does  not  even  know  it ;  she  does  not  thank  you, 
and  you  will  pine  away.  I  see  very  well  how  sad  you  are  ; 
and  you  become  paler  and  more  emaciated  from  day  to  day. 
Yes,  yes,  you  will  die  of  grief,  for  you  still  love  Ulrich  von 
Etohenbcrg." 

"  No,"  cried  Eliza,  vehemently,  blushing  deeply,  "  I  do  not 
love  him.  I  have  buried  my  love  in  my  heart,  and  it  reposes 
there  as  in  a  shrine.  It  is  true  I  think  of  it  very  often,  I  pray 
to  it,  but  I  have  no  unholy  thoughts  and  feel  no  sinful  desires. 
I  am  glad  that  my  Elza  is  so  happy  ;  yes,  I  am  glad  of  it  and 
lh-ink  God  for  it.  But  how  can  I  be  merry  and  laugh,  mother, 
so  long  as  my  dear,  dear  father  has  not  returned  to  us  ?  He 
must  hide  like  a  criminal  ;  they  are  chasing  him  like  a  wild 
beast ;  he  is  always  in  danger,  and  we  must  constantly  tremble 
for  his  safety.  And  I  cannot  do  any  thing  for  him,  I  cannot 


THE   WARNING.  475 

share  liis  dangers,  I  cannot  be  with  him  in  the  dreadful  soli- 
tude on  the  Alp  above.  I  must  look  on  in  idleness,  and  can- 
not be  useful  to  any  one.  neither  to  my  father,  nor  to  my 
brothers,  nor  to  you.  dear  mother.  I  cannot  help  my  father 
and  brothers,  and  cannot  comfort  you,  mother  ;  for  I  myself 
am  in  despair,  and  would — what  was  that,  mother  ?  Did  not 
some  one  knock  at  the  window-shutter  ? " 

"  Hush,  hush ! "  whispered  her  mother;  " let  us  listen." 

They  listened  with  bated  breath.  Eliza  had  not  been  mis- 
taken ;  some  one  knocked  a  second  time  at  the  window -shutter, 
and  the  voice  of  a  man  whispered,  "  Mrs.  Wallner,  are  you  in 
the  room  ?  Open  the  door  to  me  1 " 

"  It  must  be  a  good  friend  of  ours,  for  the  dogs  do  not 
bark,"  said  Eliza;  "  we  will  let  him  come  in." 

She  took  the  lamp  and  went  out  courageously  to  draw  the 
bolt  from  the  street-door  and  open  it. 

Yes,  she  had  not  been  mistaken,  it  was  really  a  good  friend 
of  theirs ;  the  man  who  entered  the  house  was  one  of  the  few 
friends  who  had  not  denied  Anthony  Wallner,  and  who  had 
not  turned  their  backs  upon  his  family  since  it  was  outlawed 
and  in  distress. 

"  You  bring  us  bad  news.  Peter  Siebermeier  ?  "  asked  Eliza, 
anxiously,  gazing  into  the  mountaineer's  pale  and  dismayed 
face. 

"  Unfortunately  I  do,"  sighed  Siebermeier,  stepping  hastily 
into  the  sitting-room  and  shaking  hands  with  Eliza's  mother. 
"  Mrs.  Wallner,"  he  said,  in  breathless  hurry,  "  your  husband 
is  in  the  greatest  danger,  and  only  speedy  flight  can  save 
him." 

Mrs.  Wallner  uttered  a  piercing  cry,  sank  back  into  her 
chair,  wrung  her  hands,  and  wept  aloud.  Eliza  did  not  weep; 
she  was  calm  and  courageous.  u  Tell  me,  Siebermeier.  what 
can  we  do  for  father  ?  What  danger  threatens  him  ? " 

"  A  bad  man,  I  believe,  the  clerk  of  the  court,  has  informed 
the  French  that  Anthony  Wallner  is  still  on  one  of  the 
heights  in  this  neighborhood.  General  Bronssier  intends  to 
have  him  arrested.  A  whole  battalion  of  soldiers  will  march, 
to-morrow  morning  to  the  mountain  of  Ober-Peischlag  and 
occupy  it." 


476  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

"  Great  God  !  my  husband  is  lost,  then  ! "  cried  Eliza's 
mother,  despairing  ;  "  nothing  can  save  him  now." 

"  Hush,  mother,  hush  ! "  said  Eliza,  almost  imperatively ; 
*'  we  must  not  weep  now,  we  must  think  only  of  saving  him. 
Tell  me,  friend  Siebermeier,  is  there  no  way  of  saving  him  ? " 

"  There  is  one,"  said  Siebermeier,  "  but  how  shall  we  get  up 
to  him  ?  A  friend  of  mine,  who  is  acquainted  with  the  mem- 
bers of  the  court,  informed  me  quite  stealthily  that,  if  Aich- 
berger  could  be  saved  yet,  it  should  be  done  this  very  night. 
Now  listen  to  the  plan  I  have  devised.  I  intended  to  set  out 
to-morrow  morning  to  peddle  carpets  and  blankets,  for  money 
is  very  scarce  in  these  hard  times.  I  procured,  therefore,  a 
passport  for  myself  and  my  boy,  who  is  to  carry  my  bundle. 
Here  is  the  passport — and  look  1  the  description  corresponds 
•nearly  to  Wallner's  appearance.  He  is  of  my  stature  and  age, 
has  hair  and  whiskers  like  mine,  and  might  be  passed  off  for 
myself.  I  am  quite  willing  to  let  him  have  my  passport,  and 
conceal  myself  meanwhile  at  home  and  feign  sickness.  The 
passport  would  enable  him  to  escape  safely ;  of  course  he  would 
have  to  journey  through  the  Alps,  for  every  one  knows  him  in 
the  plain.  However,  the  passport  cannot  do  him  any  good,  for 
there  is  no  one  to  take  it  up  to  him.  I  would  do  so,  but  the 
wound  which  I  received  in  our  last  skirmish  with  the  Bava- 
rians, in  my  side  here,  prevents  me  from  ascending  the  moun- 
tain-paths; and,  even  though  I  could  go  up  to  him,  it  would 
be  useless,  for  we  two  could  not  travel  together,  the  passport 
being  issued  to  two  persons,  Siebermeier,  the  carpet-dealer,  and 
the  boy  carrying  his  bundle.  The  boy  is  not  described  in  the 
passport;  therefore,  I  thought,  if  one  of  your  sons  were  in  the 
neighborhood,  he  might  go  up  to  his  father,  warn  him  of  his 
danger,  and  accompany  him  on  his  trip  through  the  moun- 
tains." 

u  But  neither  of  the  boys  is  here,"  said  Mrs.  Wallner,  de- 
spairingly ;  "  Schropfel  took  them  to  the  Alpine  hut  near  Upper 
Lindeau,  and  is  with  them.  We  two  are  all  alone,  and  there 
is,  therefore,  no  way  of  saving  my  dear  husband." 

"Yes,  mother,  there  is,"  cried  Eliza,  flushed  with  excite- 
ment. "  I  will  go  up  to  father.  I  will  warn  him  of  his  danger. 
carry  him  the  passport,  and  nee  with  him." 


THE   WARNING.  477 

"  You !  "  cried  her  mother,  in  dismay.  "  It  is  impossible  1 
You  cannot  ascend  the  road,  which  is  almost  impassable  even 
for  men.  How  should  a  girl,  then,  be  able  to  get  over  it. 
particularly  in  the  night,  and  in  so  heavy  a  snow-storm  ? " 

"You  will  be  unable  to  reach  your  father,  Lizzie,"  said 
Siebermeier ;  "  the  road  is  precipitous  and  very  long  ;  you  will 
sink  into  the  snow ;  your  shoes  will  stick  in  it,  and  the  storm 
will  catch  your  dress." 

"  No  road  is  too  precipitous  for  me  if  I  can  save  my  father," 
exclaimed  Eliza,  enthusiastically.  "I  must  reach  him,  and 
God  will  enable  me  to  do  so.  Wait  here  a  moment,  I  will  be 
back  immediately.  I  will  prepare  myself  for  the  trip,  and 
then  give  me  the  passport." 

"  She  will  lose  her  life  in  the  attempt,"  said  Mrs.  Wallner, 
mournfully,  after  she  had  hastened  out  of  the  room.  "  Alas  ! 
alas  !  I  shall  lose  my  husband,  my  sons,  and  my  daughter 
too  !  And  all  has  been  in  vain,  for  the  Tyrol  is  ruined,  and  we 
have  to  suffer  these  dreadful  misfortunes  without  having  ac- 
complished anything  ! " 

"  And  the  enemy  acts  with  merciless  cruelty  in  the  coun- 
try," said  Siebermeier,  furiously ;  "  he  sets  whole  villages  on 
fire  if  he  thinks  that  one  of  the  fugitives  is  concealed  here  ;  he 
imposes  on  the  people  heavy  war-taxes,  which  we  are  unable 
to  pay ;  and  if  we  say  we  have  no  money,  he  takes  our  cattle 
and  other  property  from  us.  Wails  and  lamentations  are  to 
be  heard  throughout  the  valley;  that  is  all  we  have  gained  by 
our  bloody  struggle  ! " 

At  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  Eliza  came  in,  not 
however  in  her  own  dress,  but  in  the  costume  of  a  Tyrolese 
peasant-lad. 

'"  Heavens  1  she  has  put  on  her  brother  William's  Sunday 
clothes,"  cried  her  mother,  with  a  mournful  smile  ;  "  and  they 
sit  as  well  on  her  as  if  they  had  been  made  for  her." 

•'-'"  Now,  Siebermeier,"  said  Eliza,  holding  out  her  hand  to 
him;"  give  me  the  passport.  The  moon  is  rising  now,  and  I 
must  go." 

"  But  listen,  my  daughter,  how  the  wind  howls  ! "  cried  her 
mother,  in  deep  anguish.  "  It  beats  against  the  windows  as  if 
to  warn  us  not  to  go  out.  Oh,  Lizzie,  my  last  joy,  do  not  leave 


478  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

me  !  I  have  no  one  left  but  you  ;  stay  with  me,  my  Lizzie,  do 
not  leave  your  poor  mother  !  You  will  die  in  the  attempt, 
Lizzie  !  Stay  here  ;  have  mercy  upon  me,  and  stay  here  ! " 

u  I  must  go  to  father,"  replied  Eliza,  disengaging  herself 
gently  from  her  mother's  arms.  "  Give  me  the  passport,  friend 
Siebermeier." 

"You  are  a  brave  girl,''  said  Siebermeier,  profoundly 
moved  ;  "  the  good  God  and  the  Holy  Virgin  will  protect  you. 
There,  take  the  passport ;  you  are  worthy  to  carry  it  to  your 
father." 

"  And  I  shall  carry  it  to  him  or  die  on  the  road,"  cried  Eliza, 
enthusiastically,  waving  the  paper.  "  Now,  dear  mother,  do 
not  weep,  but  give  me  your  blessing  !  " 

She  knelt  down  before  her  mother,  who  had  laid  her  hand 
on  her  head. 

''Lord,  my  God,"  she  exclaimed,  solemnly,  "protect  her 
graciously  in  her  pious  effort  to  save  her  father.  Take  your 
mother's  blessing,  my  Lizzie,  and  think  that  her  heart  and 
love  accompany  you." 

She  bent  over  her,  and  imprinted  a  long  kiss  on  her 
daughter's  forehead. 

"I  must  go  now,  it  is  high  time,"  said  Eliza,  making  a 
violent  effort  to  restrain  her  tears.  "  Farewell,  friend  Sieber- 
meier ;  God  and  the  saints  will  reward  you  for  the  service  you 
have  rendered  us." 

"  My  best  reward  will  be  to  learn  that  Wallner  is  safe," 
said  Siebermeier,  shaking  hands  with  her. 

"  Now,  a  last  kiss,  dearest  mother,"  said  Eliza.  She  en- 
circled her  mother's  neck  with  both  her  arms,  and  kissed  her 
tenderly.  "Pray  for  me  and  love  me,"  she  whispered  ;  "and 
if  I  should  not  come  back,  if  I  should  lose  my  life,  mother, 
write  it  to  Elza  and  to  him,  and  write  that  I  died  with  love 
and  fidelity  in  my  heart.  Farewell  ! " 

She  disengaged  herself  quickly  and  hastened  out  of  the 
room,  regardless  of  the  despairing  cries  of  her  mother,  and  not 
even  looking  back  to  her.  It  was  high  time  for  her  to  set  out. 

She  was  in  the  street  now.  The  snow  rushed  furiously  into 
her  face  :  the  howling  storm  dashed  madly  against  her  cheeks 
until  they  became  very  sore,  but  the  moon  was  in  the  heavens 


THE   FLIGHT.  479 

and  lighted  her  path.  It  was  the  same  path  which  she  had 
ascended  with  Ulrich  when  saving  him.  She  was  alone  now,  but 
her  courage  and  her  trust  in  God  were  with  her  ;  strengthened 
and  refreshed  by  her  love  for  her  father,  she  ascended  the 
steep  mountain  path.  At  times  the  piercing  wind  rendered 
tier  breathless  and  seized  her  with  such  violence  that  she  had 
to  cling  to  a  projecting  rock  in  order  not  to  fall  from  the  nar- 
row path  into  the  abyss  yawning  at  her  feet.  At  times  ava- 
lanches rolled  close  to  her  with  thundering  noise  into  the 
depth  and  enveloped  her  in  a  cloud  of  snow  ;  but  the  moon 
shed  her  silver  light  on  her  path,  and  Eliza  looked  up  cour- 
ageously. .Forgetful  of  her  own  danger,  she  prayed  in  her 
heart  only,  "God  grant  that  I  may  save  my  father  1  Let  me 
not  die  before  reaching  him  ! " 


CHAPTER  XLIH. 

THE  FLIGHT. 

ANTHONY  WALLNER  sat  in  his  lonely  Alpine  hut  on  the 
height  near  the  village  of  Ober-Peischlag,  and  listened  to  the 
storm,  which  howled  so  loudly  to-night  that  the  hut  shook  and 
he  was  unable  to  sleep  on  his  couch  of  straw.  He  had  lighted 
his  lamp,  and  sat  musingly  at  the  pine  table,  leaning  his  head 
on  his  hand,  and  brooding  mournfully  over  his  dreary  future. 
How  long  would  he  have  to  remain  here  in  his  open  grave  ? 
How  long  would  he  be  chased  yet,  like  a  wild  beast,  from 
mountain  to  mountain  ?  How  long  would  he  be  obliged  yet 
to  lead  an  idle  and  unprofitable  life  in  this  frozen  solitude,  ex- 
posed to  the  fury  of  the  elements,  and  in  constant  dread  of 
losing  this  miserable  life  ?  These  were  the  questions  that  he 
asked  himself  ;  intense  rage  seized  his  heart,  tears  of  bitter 
grief  filled  his  eyes — not,  however,  at  his  own  misfortunes,  but 
at  the  miseries  of  his  fatherland. 

"  What  am  I  suffering  for  ?  What  did  I  fight  and  risk  my 
life  for  ?  What  did  we  all  shed  our  blood  for  ?  What  did 
our  brethren  die  for  on  the  field  of  battle  ?  The  fatherland 


480  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

was  not  saved,  the  French  defeated  us,  and  our  emperor  aban- 
doned us.  We  were  brave  defenders  of  our  country,  and  now 
they  call  us  criminals  ;  we  intended  to  save  the  fatherland, 
and  now  they  call  us  rebels  and  traitors  !  The  emperor  gives 
us  away  like  a  piece  of  merchandise,  regardless  of  his  sacred 
pledges,  and  the  French  are  chasing  us  as  though  we  were 
thieves  and  murderers  !  And  Thou  sufferest  it,  God  in  heav- 
en ?  Thou — Hark  !  did  not  that  sound  like  a  shot  ?  Is  it  the 
wind  that  is  knocking  so  loudly  at  my  door  ? " 

He  sprang  to  his  feet,  took  up  his  rifle,  cocked  it,  and  aimed 
at  the  door. 

There  was  another  knocking  at  the  door  ;  no,  it  was  assur- 
edly not  the  storm  that  was  rapping  and  hammering  at  it  so 
regularly.  No,  no,  it  was  the  enemy  !  He  had  spied  him  out, 
he  had  discovered  his  track,  he  had  come  to  seize  him  ! 

"  I  will  sell  my  life  dearly,"  murmured  Anthony  Wallner, 
grimly.  "  I  will  shoot  down  the  first  man  who  opens  the 
door  ;  then  I  will  force  a  passage  through  the  ranks  with  the 
butt-end  of  my  rifle,  and — " 

"  Father,"  cried  a  voice  outside,  "  father,  open  the  door  ! " 

"  Great  God  ! "  murmured  Wallner,  "  did  not  that  sound 
like  my  Lizzie  calling  me  ?  But  that  is  impossible  ;  it  cannot 
be  she  ;  she  cannot  have  ascended  the  mountain-path  ;  the 
storm  would  have  killed  her,  and—" 

"Father,  dear  father,  pray  open  the  door,"  shouted  the 
voice  again,  and  somebody  shook  the  door. 

Wallner  laid  down  his  rifle  and  hastened  to  the  door. 
"  May  God  protect  me  if  they  deceive  me,  but  I  believe  it  is 
Lizzie." 

He  threw  open  the  door  ;  the  little  Tyrolese  lad  rushed  in, 
embraced  him  tenderly,  kissed  him  with  his  cold  lips,  and 
whispered,  "  My  father  !  thank  God,  I  am  with  you  1 " 

"  It  is  Lizzie  ! "  cried  Wallner,  in  a  ringing  voice.  "  She 
has  come  to  me  through  night  and  storm  !  It  is  my  daughter, 
my  dear,  dear  daughter  !  Oh,  joy  of  my  heart,  how  were  you 
able  to  get  up  here  in  this  terrible  night  ?  No  man  would 
have  dared  to  attempt  it." 

"But  I  dared  it,  father,  for  I  am  your  child,  and  love  you." 

"  You  love  me,  and  I  thank  God  ! "  he  exclaimed,  folding 


THE  FLIGHT.  481 

her  tenderly  and  anxiously  to  his  heart ;  "  I  thank  God  for 
saving  you,  and — " 

He  faltered  and  burst  into  tears,  which  he  did  not  try  to 
conceal.  He  wept  aloud  and  bitterly,  and  Eliza  wept  with 
him,  and  neither  of  them  knew  whether  they  wept  for  joy  or 
grief. 

Eliza  was  the  first  to  overcome  her  emotion.  "Father," 
she  said,  raising  her  head  quickly,  "  the  enemy  is  on  your 
track,  and  early  to-morrow  morning  the  French  are  going  to 
occupy  the  mountain  in  order  to  arrest  you.  That  is  the  rea- 
son why  I  have  come  up  to  you,  for  you  must  flee  this  very 
hour." 

"  Flee  !  "  he  cried,  mournfully.  "  How  can  I  ?  The  first 
Bavarian  or  French  gendarme  on  the  frontier,  who  meets  me 
and  asks  me  for  my  passport,  will  arrest  me.  I  have  no  pass- 
port." 

"  Here  is  a  passport,"  said  Eliza,  joyfully,  handing  him  the 
paper,  "  Siebermeier  sends  it  to  you.'' 

"  The  faithful  friend  !  Yes,  that  is  help  in  need.  Now  I 
will  try  with  God's  aid  to  escape.  You,  Lizzie,  will  return 
to  mother,  and  bring  her  a  thousand  greetings  from  me  ; 
and  as  soon  as  I  am  across  the  frontier,  you  shall  hear  from 
me." 

"  I  must  go  with  you,  father,"  said  Eliza,  smiling.  "  The 
passport  is  valid  for  Siebermeier,  the  carpet-dealer,  and  his 
son.  Now  you  see,  dear  father,  I  am  your  son,  and  shall  flee 
with  you." 

"  No,"  cried  her  father,  in  dismay  ;  "  no,  you  shall  never 
do  so,  Lizzie.  I  must  journey  through  the  wildest  and  most 
secluded  Alps,  and  you  would  die  in  the  attempt  to  follow  me, 
Lizzie." 

"And  even  though  I  knew  that  I  should  die,  father,  I 
should  go  with  you,"  said  Lizzie,  joyfully.  "  You  cannot  flee 
without  me,  and  I  do  not  love  my  life  very  dearly  if  it  cannot 
be  useful  to  you,  dear  father.  Therefore,  say  no  more  about 
it,  and  do  not  reject  my  offer  any  longer  ;  for  if  you  do,  it  will 
be  in  vain,  because  I  shall  follow  you  for  all  that,  and  no  road 
is  too  precipitous  for  me  when  I  see  you  before  me.  There- 
fore, come,  dear  father  ;  do  not  hesitate  any  longer,  but  come 


482  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

with  your  little  boy.    You  cannot  flee  without  me  ;  therefore, 
let  us  try  it  courageously  together.1" 

*'  Well,  I  will  do  so,  my  brave  little  boy  ;  I  believe  I  must 
comply  with  your  wish,"  exclaimed  Wallner,  folding  her 
tenderly  to  his  heart.  "  You  shall  accompany  me,  you  shall 
save  your  father's  life.  Oh,  it  would  be  glorious  if  God  should 
grant  me  the  satisfaction  of  being  indebted  for  my  life  to  my 
dear  daughter  Lizzie  ! " 

"  Come,  now,  father,  come  ;  every  minute's  delay  increases 
the  danger." 

"  I  am  ready,  Lizzie.  Let  me  only  see  if  my  rifle  is  in  good 
order  and  put  on  my  powdei-pouch." 

"  You  cannot  take  your  rifle  with  you,  nor  your  powder- 
pouch  either.  You  are  no  longer  the  brave  commander  of 
the  sharpshooters  of  Windisch-Matrey,  but  Siebermeier,  the 
carpet-dealer,  a  very  peaceable  man,  who  does  not  take  his  rifle 
and  powder-pouch  with  him  on  his  travels." 

"  You  are  right,  Lizzie.  But  it  is  hard  indeed  to  flee  with- 
out arms,  and  to  be  defenceless  even  in  case  of  an  attack  by 
the  enemy.  And  I  do  not  want  to  let  my  rifle  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  French  when  they  come  up  here.  I  know  a  hole 
in  the  rock  close  by  ;  I  will  take  it  there  and  conceal  it  till 
my  return.  Come,  now,  Lizzie,  and  let  us  attempt,  with  God's 
aid,  to  escape  from  the  enemy." 

He  wrapped  himself  in  his  cloak,  took  the  rifle,  and  both 
left  the  hut. 

Day  was  now  dawning  ;  some  rosy  streaks  appeared  al- 
ready in  the  eastern  horizon,  and  tbe  summits  of  the  glaciers 
were  faintly  illuminated.  Eliza  saw  it,  but  she  did  not  rejoice 
this  time  at  the  majestic  beauty  of  the  sunrise  ;  it  made  her 
only  uneasy  and  sad,  and  while  her  father  concealed  his  rifle 
carefully  in  the  hole  in  the  rock,  Eli/;a  glanced  around  anxious- 
ly, murmuring  to  herself  :  "  They  intend  to  start  at  daybreak. 
It  is  now  after  daybreak  ;  the  sun  has  risen,  and  they  have 
doubtless  set  out  already  to  arrest  him." 

"  Now  come,"  said  her  father,  returning  to  her  ;  "  we  have 
a  long  journey  before  us  to-day,  for  we  must  pass  the  Alps  by 
hunters'  paths  up  to  the  Isel-Tauerkamm.  We  shall  pass  the 
night  at  the  inn  there ;  in  the  morning  we  shall  continue  the 


THE  FLIGHT.  483 

journey,  and,  if  it  please  God,  we  shall  reach  the  Austrian 
frontier  within  three  hours." 

And  they  descended  the  mountain,  hand  in  hand  and  with 
firm  steps,  and  entered  the  forest. 

Nothing  was  to  be  heard  all  around  ;  not  a  sound  broke  the 
peaceful  stillness  of  awaking  nature  ;  only  the  wind  howled 
and  whistled,  and  caused  the  branches  of  the  trees  to  creak. 
The  sun  had  risen  higher  and  higher,  and  shed  already  its 
golden  rays  through  the  forest. 

"  I  would  we  had  passed  through  the  thicket  and  reached 
the  heights  again,"  said  Anthony  Wallner,  in  a  low  voice. 
"  We  were  obliged  to  descend  in  order  to  pass  round  the  preci- 
pice and  the  steep  slope  ;  we  shall  afterwards  ascend  the 
mountain  again  and  remain  on  the  heights.  But  if  the  sol- 
diers from  Windisch-Matrey  meet  us  here,  we  are  lost,  for 
they  know  me  and  will  not  pay  any  attention  to  my  pass- 
port." 

"  God  will  not  permit  them  to  meet  us,"  sighed  Lizzie,  ac- 
celerating her  steps.  They  kept  silent  a  long  while,  and  not 
a  sound  was  to  be  heard  around  them.  All  at  once  both  gave 
a  start,  for  they  had  heard  the  noise  of  heavy  footstep"  nd  the 
clang  of  arms.  They  had  just  passed  through  the  clearing  in 
the  forest  and  were  now  again  close  to  the  thicket,  by  the  side 
of  which  there  was  a  small  chapel  with  a  large  crucifix.  They 
turned  and  looked  back. 

"  The  enemy  !  the  enemy  ! "  cried  Anthony  Wallner,  point- 
ing to  the  soldiers  who  were  just  stepping  from  the  other  side 
of  the  forest.  "  Lizzie,  we  are  lost !  Ah,  and  I  have  not  even 
got  my  rifle  !  I  must  allow  myself  to  be  seized  without  resist- 
ance !  '* 

"  No,  we  are  not  yet  lost,  father  ;  look  at  the  chapel.  May- 
be they  have  not  yet  seen  us.  Let  us  enter  the  chapel  quickly. 
There  is  room  enough  for  us  two  under  the  altar. * 

Without  giving  her  father  time  to  reply,  Eliza  hastened  in- 
to the  chapel  and  disappeared  behind  the  altar.  In  a  second 
Wallner  was  with  her,  and,  clinging  close  to  each  other  and 
with  stifled  breath,  they  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  enemy. 

Now  they  beard  footsteps  approaching  rapidly  and  voices 
shouting  out  aloud.  They  came  nearer  and  nearer,  and  were 


484  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

now  close  to  the  chapel.  It  was  a  Bavarian  patrol,  and  the 
two,  therefore,  could  understand  every  word  they  spoke,  and 
every  word  froze  their  hearts.  The  Bavarians  had  seen  them  ; 
they  were  convinced  that  they  must  be  close  by  ;  they  ex- 
horted each  other  to  look  diligently  for  the  fugitives,  and  al- 
luded to  the  reward  which  awaited  them  in  case  they  should 
arrest  Anthony  Wallner. 

Both  lay  under  the  altar  with  hearts  throbbing  impetu- 
ously, and  almost  senseless  from  fear  and  anguish  ;  Eliza 
murmuring  a  prayer  with  quivering  lips  ;  Anthony  Wall- 
ner clinching  his  fists,  and  firmly  resolved  to  sell  his  life 
dearly  and  defend  himself  and  his  child  to  the  last  drop  of 
blood. 

The  enemies  were  now  close  to  them  ;  they  entered  the 
chapel  and  advanced  to  the  altar.  Eliza,  pale  and  almost 
fainting  from  terror,  leaned  her  head  on  her  father's  shoulder. 
The  Bavarians  struck  now  with  the  butt-ends  of  their  muskets 
against  the  closed  front-side  of  the  altar  ;  it  gave  a  dull,  hard 
sound,  for  the  fugitives  filled  the  cavity. 

"  There  is  no  one  in  there,  for  the  altar  is  not  hollow,"  said 
one  of  the  soldiers.  The  footsteps  thereupon  moved  away 
from  the  altar,  and  soon  all  was  silent  in  the  chapel.  Wall- 
ner and  Lizzie  heard  only  footsteps  and  voices  outside  ;  they 
moved  away  farther  and  farther,  and  after  a  few  seconds  not  a 
sound  broke  the  silence. 

The  fugitives  lay  still  behind  the  altar,  motionless,  listen- 
ing, with  hearts  throbbing  impetuously.  Could  they  dare  to 
leave  their  place  of  concealment  ?  Was  it  not,  perhaps,  a 
mere  stratagem  of  the  enemy  to  keep  silent  ?  Had  the  soldiers 
surrounded  the  chapel,  and  were  they  waiting  merely  for  them 
to  come  out  ?  They  waited  and  listened  for  hours,  but  their 
cowering  position  benumbed  their  blood  ;  it  stiffened  their 
limbs  and  made  their  heads  ache. 

"  Father,  I  can  no  longer  stand  it,"  murmured  Eliza  ;  "  I 
will  die  rather  than  stay  here  any  longer." 

"  Come,  Lizzie,"  said  Wallner,  raising  himself  up  and  jump- 
ing over  the  altar,  "  come  !  I,  too,  think  it  is  better  for  us  to 
die  than  hide  thus  like  thieves." 

They  joined  hands  and  left  the  chapel,  looking  anxiously 


THE  FLIGHT.  485 

in  all  directions.  But  every  thing  remained  silent,  and  not  a 
Bavarian  soldier  made  his  appearance. 

"They  are  gone,  indeed  they  are  gone,"  said  Wallner, 
triumphantly.  "  Now  we  must  make  haste,  my  girl ;  we 
shall  ascend  the  height ;  the  footpath  leads  up  here  in  the  rear 
of  the  chapel  ;  within  two  hours  we  shall  reach  the  summit, 
and,  if  our  feet  do  not  slip,  if  we  do  not  fall  into  the  depth,  if 
no  avalanche  overwhelms  us,  and  if  the  storm  does  not  freeze 
us,  I  think  we  shall  reach  the  Isel-Tauerkamm  to-night,  and 
sleep  at  the  inn  there.  May  the  Holy  Virgin  protect  us  !  " 

And  the  Holy  Virgin  did  seem  to  guard  the  intrepid  wan- 
derers— to  enable  them  to  cross  abysses  on  frail  bridges  ;  to 
prevent  them  from  sinking  into  invisible  clefts  and  pits  cov- 
ered with  snow  ;  to  make  them  safely  escape  the  avalanches 
falling  down  here  and  there,  and  protect  them  from  freezing 
to  death. 

Toward  dusk  they  reached  at  length  the  inn  on  the  Isel- 
Tauerkamm,  utterly  exhausted  by  fatigue,  hunger,  and  frost, 
and  entered  the  bar-room  on  the  ground-floor.  Nobody  was 
there  but  the  landlord,  a  gloomy,  morose-looking  man,  who 
eyed  the  new-comers  with  evident  distrust. 

When  the  two  wanderers,  scarcely  able  to  utter  a  word, 
seated  themselves  on  the  bench  at  the  narrow  table,  the  land- 
lord stepped  up  to  them. 

"  I  am  not  allowed  to  harbor  any  one  without  seeing  his 
passport,"  he  said.  "  There  are  all  sorts  of  fugitive  vagabonds 
prowling  around  here  to  hide  from  the  Bavarians,  who  are 
searching  the  whole  district  to-day.  Give  me  your  passport, 
therefore." 

Wallner  handed  him  the  paper  in  silence.  The  landlord 
read  it  attentively,  and  seemed  to  compare  the  two  with  the 
description  in  the  passport. 

"  H'm  ! "  he  said,  "  the  carpet-dealer  and  his  son — that  cor- 
responds to  what  the  passport  says  ;  but  where  is  the  bundle 
of  carpets  ? " 

Anthony  Wallner  gave  a  slight  start ;  he  recovered  his 
presence  of  mind  immediately,  however,  and  said  calmly, 
"  The  carpets  are  all  sold  already  ;  we  are  on  our  return  to 
Windisch-Matrey. " 


486  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  See,  see  how  lucky  you  have  been,"  said  the  landlord, 
laughing  ;  "  the  passport  says  you  started  only  yesterday 
morning,  and  to-day  you  have  already  sold  all  your  carpets. 
Well,  in  that  case,  you  are  certainly  justified  in  returning  to 
your  home.  Your  passport  is  in  good  order,  and  the  Bava- 
rians, therefore,  will  not  molest  you." 

"  As  my  passport  is  in  good  order,  I  suppose  you  will  give 
us  beds,  and.  above  all  things,  something  to  eat  and  drink.'' 

"  You  shall  have  everything,  that  is  to  say,  every  thing  that 
I  can  give  you.  I  am  all  alone  here,  and  have  nothing  but  a 
piece  of  ham,  bread,  and  cheese,  and  a  glass  of  wine.  As  for 
beds,  I  have  not  got  any  ;  you  must  sleep  on  the  bench  here." 

"  Well,  we  will  do  so  ;  but  give  us  something  to  eat  now," 
said  Wallner,  "  and  add  a  little  fuel  to  the  fire,  that  we  may 
warm  ourselves." 

The  landlord  added  some  brushwood  and  a  few  billets  to 
the  fire,  fetched  the  provisions,  and  looked  on  while  the  wan- 
derers were  partaking  of  the  food  with  eager  appetite.  All  at 
once  he  stepped  quickly  up  to  them,  seated  himself  on  the 
bench  opposite  them,  and  drew  a  paper  from  his  pocket.  "  I 
will  read  something  to  you  now,"  he  said.  "  There  were  Ba- 
varian soldiers  here  to-day  ;  they  gave  me  a  new  decree,  and 
ordered  me  to  obey  it  under  pain  of  death.  Listen  to  me." 

And  he  read,  in  a  loud,  scornful  voice  : 

"  Know  all  men  by  these  presents,  that  any  inhabitant  of 
the  German  or  Italian  Tyrol,  who  dares  to  harbor  Anthony 
Wallner,  called  Aichberger,  late  commander  of  the  sharp- 
shooters of  Windisch-Matrey,  or  his  two  sons,  shall  lose  his 
whole  property  by  confiscation,  and  his  house  shall  be  burned 
down."  * 

"  Did  you  hear  it  ? "  asked  the  landlord,  after  reading  the 
proclamation. 

"  I  did."  said  Wallner,  with  perfect  composure, "  but  it  does 
not  concern  us." 

"  Yes,  it  does.  I  believe  you  are  Anthony  Wallner,  and 
the  lad  there  is  one  of  your  sons." 

Anthony  Wallner  laughed.  "  Forsooth, "  he  said,  "  if  I  were 
Wallner  I  should  not  be  so  stupid  as  to  show  myself.  I  be- 

*  Loritza,  p.  130. 


THE  FLIGHT.  487 

lievehe  is  hiding  somewhere  in  the  mountains  near  Windisch- 
Matrey.  But  I  think  I  resemble  him  a  little,  for  you  are  not 
the  fir  st  man  who  has  taken  me  for  Anthony  Wallner.  And 
that  the  lad  there  is  not  one  of  Anthony  Wallner's  sons,  I  will 
swear  on  the  crucifix,  if  you  want  me  to  do  so." 

"Well,  well,  it  is  all  right,  I  believe  you,"  growled  the 
landlord.  ''  Now  lie  down  and  sleep  ;  there  is  a  pillow  for 
each  of  you.  and  now  good-night ;  I  will  go  to  my  chamber 
and  sleep  too." 

He  nodded  to  them  morosely,  and  left  the  room. 

"  Lizzie,  do  you  think  we  can  trust  him  ? "  asked  Wallner, 
in  a  low  voice. 

Eliza  made  no  reply  ;  she  only  beckoned  to  her  father, 
slipped  on  tiptoe  across  the  room  to  the  door,  and  applied  her 
ear  to  it. 

There  was  a  pause.    Then  they  heard  the  front  door  jar. 

"  Father,"  whispered  Eliza,  hastening  to  Wallner, "  he  has 
left  the  house  to  fetch  the  soldiers.  I  heard  him  walk  through 
the  hall  to  the  front  door  and  open  it.  He  has  left,  and 
locked  us  up.'' 

u  Locked  us  up  ? "  cried  Wallner,  and  hastened  to  the  door. 
He  shook  it  with  the  strength  of  a  giant,  but  the  lock  did  not 
yield  ;  the  bolts  did  not  give  way. 

"  It  is  in  vain,  in  vain ! "  cried  Wallner,  stamping  the  floor 
furiously ;  "  the  door  does  not  yield ;  we  are  caught  in  the  trap, 
for  there  is  no  other  outlet." 

"  Yes,  father,  there  is  ;  there  is  the  window,"  said  Eliza. 
"Come,  we  must  jump  out  of  the  window." 

"  But  did  you  not  see,  Lizzie,  that  the  house  stands  on  a 
slope,  and  that  a  staircase  leads  outside  to  the  front  door  ?  If 
we  jump  out  of  the  window,  we  shall  fall  at  least  twenty  feet." 

"  But  there  is  a  great  deal  of  snow  on  the  ground,  and  we 
shall  fall  softly.  I  will  jump  out  first,  father,  and  you  must 
follow  me  immediately." 

And  Eliza  disappeared  out  of  the  window.  Wallner  waited 
a  few  seconds  and  then  followed  her.  They  reached  the 
ground  safely  ;  the  deep  snow  prevented  the  leap  from  being 
dangerous  ;  they  sprang  quickly  to  their  feet,  and  hastened  on 
as  fast  as  their  weary  limbs  would  carry  them. 


488  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

It  was  a  cold,  dark  night.  The  moon,  which  shone  so 
brightly  during  the  previous  night,  was  covered  with  heavy 
clouds  ;  the  storm  swept  clouds  of  snow  before  it,  and  whistled 
and  howled  across  the  extensive  snow-fields.  But  the  wan- 
derers continued  their  journey  with  undaunted  hearts. 

All  at  once  something  stirred  behind  them  ;  they  saw 
torches  gleaming  up,  and  Bavarian  soldiers  accompanying  the 
bearers  of  the  torches.  The  soldiers,  headed  by  the  landlord 
who  had  fetched  them,  rushed  forward  with  wild  shouts  and 
imprecations.  But  Wallner  and  Eliza  likewise  rushed  forward 
like  roes  hunted  down.  They  panted  heavily,  the  piercing 
storm  almost  froze  their  faces,  their  feet  bled,  but  they  con- 
tinued their  flight  at  a  rapid  rate.  Nevertheless,  the  distance 
separating  them  from  their  pursuers  became  shorter  and 
shorter.  The  Bavarians,  provided  with  torches,  could  see  the 
road  and  the  footsteps  of  the  fugitives  in  the  snow,  while  the 
latter  had  to  run  blindly  into  the  night,  unable  to  see  whither 
their  feet  were  carrying  them,  and  exhausted  by  the  long  jour- 
ney of  the  preceding  day. 

The  distance  between  pursuers  and  pursued  rapidly  di- 
minished ;  scarcely  twenty  yards  now  lay  between  them,  and 
the  soldiers  extended  their  hands  already  to  seize  them.  At 
this  moment  of  extreme  peril  the  storm  came  up  howling  with 
redoubled  fury  and  drove  whole  clouds  of  snow  before  it, 
extinguished  the  torches  of  the  Bavarians,  and  shrouded  every 
thing  in  utter  darkness.  The  joyful  cries  of  the  pursued  and 
the  imprecations  of  their  pursuers  were  heard  at  the  same 
time. 

Wallner  and  Eliza,  whose  eyes  were  already  accustomed  to 
the  darkness,  advanced  at  a  rapid  rate  ;  the  soldiers  followed 
them,  but  blinded  by  the  darkness,  unable  to  see  the  road,  and 
calling  each  other  in  order  to  remain  together.  These  calls 
and  shouts  added  to  the  advantages  of  the  fugitives,  for  they 
indicated  to  them  the  direction  which  they  had  to  take-in 
order  to  avoid  the  enemy.  Finally,  the  shouts  became  weaker 
and  weaker,  and  died  away  entirely. 

The  fugitives  continued  their  flight  more  leisurely  ;  but 
they  could  not  rest  and  stand  still  in  the  dark,  cold  night,  for 
the  storm  would  have  frozen  them,  the  cold  would  have  killed 


THE  FLIGHT.  489 

them.  They  did  not  speak,  but  advanced  breathlessly  and 
hand  in  hand.  All  at  once  they  beheld  a  light  twinkling  in 
the  distance  like  a  star.  There  was  a  house,  then,  and  men 
also.  They  walked  on  briskly,  and  the  light  came  nearer  and 
nearer.  Now  they  saw  already  the  house  through  whose  win- 
dows it  gleamed.  In  a  few  minutes  they  were  close  to  the 
house,  in  front  of  which  they  beheld  a  tall  post. 

"  Great  God  !  "  cried  Anthony  Wallner  ;  "  I  believe  that  is 
a  boundary -post,  and  we  are  now  on  Austrian  soil." 

He  knocked  hastily  at  the  door  ;  it  opened,  and  the  two 
wanderers  entered  the  small,  warm,  and  cozy  room,  where 
they  were  received  by  a  man  in  uniform,  who  sat  at  the  table 
eating  his  supper. 

Anthony  Wallner  went  close  up  to  him  and  pointed  to  his 
uniform. 

"  You  wear  the  Austrian  uniform  ? "  he  asked. 

"  I  do,  sir,"  said  the  man,  smilingly. 

"  And  we  are  here  on  Austrian  soil?  " 

"Yes,  sir.  The  boundary-post  is  in  front  of  this  house. 
This  is  an  Austrian  custom-house." 

Anthony  Wallner  threw  his  arm  around  Eliza's  neck  and 
knelt  down.  He  burst  into  tears,  and  exclaimed  in  a  loud, 
joyous  voice,  "  Lord  God  in  heaven,  I  thank  Thee  !  " 

Eliza  said  nothing,  but  her  tears  spoke  for  her,  and  so  did 
the  smile  with  which  she  looked  up  to  heaven  and  then  at  her 
father. 

The  custom-house  officer  had  risen  and  stood  profoundly 
moved  by  the  side  of  the  two. 

"  Who  are  you,  my  friend  ?  "  he  asked  ;  "  and  why  do  you 
weep  and  thank  God  ? " 

"  Who  am  I  ? "  asked  Wallner,  rising  and  drawing  Eliza 
up  with  him.  "  I  am  Anthony  Wallner,  and  this  is  my 
daughter  Lizzie,  who  has  saved  me  from  the  Bavarians.  The 
good  God—" 

He  said  no  more,  but  leaned  totteringly  on  Eliza's  shoulder, 
and  sank  senseless  to  the  ground. 

Eliza  threw  herself  upon  him,  uttering  loud  cries  of 
anguish.  "  He  is  dead,"  she  cried,  despairingly  ;  "  he  is 

dead  I" 

32 


490  ANDREAS   HOFEE. 

"  No,  he  is  not  dead,''  said  the  officer  ;  "  the  excitement 
and  fatigue  have  produced  a  swoon.  He  will  soon  be  restored 
to  consciousness  and  get  over  it.  Careful  nursing  shall  not  be 
wanting  to  Anthony  Wallner  in  my  house." 

He  had  prophesied  correctly.  Anthony  Wallner  awoke 
again,  and  seemed  to  recover  rapidly  under  the  kind  nursing 
of  his  host  and  his  daughter. 

They  remained  two  days  at  the  custom-house  on  the  fron- 
tier. The  news  of  Anthony  Wallner's  arrival  spread  like 
wild6re  through  the  whole  neighborhood,  and  the  landed 
proprietors  of  the  district  hastened  to  the  custom-house  to  see 
the  heroic  Tyrolese  ^hief  and  his  intrepid  daughter,  and  offered 
their  services  to  both  of  them. 

It  was  no  longer  necessary  for  them  to  journey  on  foot. 
Wherever  they  came,  the  carriages  of  the  wealthy  and 
aristocratic  inhabitants  were  in  readiness  for  them,  and  they 
were  greeted  everywhere  with  jubilant  acclamations.  Their 
journey  to  Vienna  was  an  incessant  triumphal  procession,  a 
continued  chain  of  demonstrations  of  enthusiasm  and  manifes- 
tations of  love. 

Anthony  Wallner,  however,  remained  silent,  gloomy,  and 
downcast,  amid  all  these  triumphs  ;  and  on  arousing  himself 
sometimes  from  his  sombre  broodings,  and  seeing  the  painful 
expression  with  which  Eliza's  eyes  rested  on  him,  he  tried  to 
smile,  but  the  smile  died  away  on  his  trembling  lips. 

"  I  believe  I  shall  be  taken  very  sick,"  he  said,  faintly. 
"My  head  aches  dreadfully,  and  all  my  limbs  are  trembling. 
I  was  too  long  in  the  Alpine  hut,  and  the  numerous  previous 
fatigues.  The  excitement,  grief,  cold,  and  hunger,  and  last,  the 
long  journey  on  foot,  have  been  too  much  for  me.  Ah,  Lizzie, 
Lizzie,  I  shall  be  taken  sick.  Great  God !  it  would  be  dreadful 
if  I  should  die  now  and  leave  you  all  alone  in  this  foreign 
country !  No,  no,  I  do  not  want  to  be  taken  sick,  I  have  no 
time  for  it.  Oh,  listen  to  me,  my  God!  I  do  not  want  to  be 
taken  sick,  for  Lizzie  must  not  be  left  an  orphan  here.  No, 
no,  no  ! " 

And  he  lifted  his  clinched  fist  .to  heaven,  screamed,  and 
wept,  and  uttered  senseless  and  incoherent  words. 

"  I  am  afraid  he  has  got  the  nervous  fever,"  said  Baron 


THE  FLIGHT.  49  j 

Engenberg,  who  was  conveying  Wallner  and  Eliza  in  his 
carriage  from  the  last  station  to  Vienna.  "  It  will  be  neces- 
sary for  us  to  take  him  at  once  to  a  hospital." 

"  Can  I  stay  with  him  there  and  nurse  him  ? "  asked  Eliza, 
repressing  her  tears. 
"  Of  course  you  can." 

"Then  let  us  take  him  to  a  hospital,"  she  said,  calmly. 
"  He  will  die,  but  /  shall  be  there  to  close  his  eyes." 

And  it  was  Eliza  that  closed  her  father's  eyes.  The  vio- 
lent nervous  fever  which  had  seized  Anthony  Wallner  was 
too  murh  for  his  exhausted  body.  He  died  five  days  after  his 
arrival  at  Vienna,  on  the  15th  of  February,  1810,  at  the  city 
hospital. 

Many  persons  attended  his  funeral  ;  many  persons  came  to 
see  Eliza  Wallner,  the  young  heroine  of  the  Tyrol.  But  Eliza 
would  not  see  anybody.  She  remained  in  the  room  which 
had  been  assigned  to  her  at  the  hospital,  and  she  spoke  and 
prayed  only  with  the  priest  who  had  administered  the  last 
unction  to  her  father. 

On  the  day  after  the  funeral  the  Emperor  Francis  sent  one 
of  his  chamberlains  to  Eliza,  to  induce  her  to  remain  in  Vien- 
na. He  would  provide  for  her  bountifully,  and  reward  her 
for  what  her  father  had  done.  The  chamberlain  was  also  in- 
structed to  conduct  Eliza  to  the  emperor,  that  he  might  thank 
and  console  her  personally. 

Eliza  shook  her  head,  gravely.  "The  emperor  need  not 
thank  me,"  she  said,  "  for  I  did  no  more  for  him  than  he  did 
for  the  Tyrol.  He  is  unable  to  console  me  ;  God  alone  can 
do  that,  and  He  will  also  provide  for  me.  I  cannot  see  the 
emperor,  for  my  heart  is  too  deeply  afflicted.  But  if  you  will 
give  me  money  enough,  sir,  to  return  quickly  to  my  dear 
Tyrol  and  my  beloved  mother,  1  shall  accept  it  and  be  grate- 
ful to  you.  I  must  return  to  my  mother  and  weep  with  her  ; 
and  my  dear  home,  my  dear  mountains  will  console  me." 

"  You  can  set  out  as  soon  as  you  please,"  said  the  chamber- 
lain. "The  emperor  has  interceded  in  your  behalf  and  ob- 
tained this  safeguard  for  you  in  case  you  wished  to  return  to 
your  native  country.  No  one  will  molest  you,  and  you  and 
your  family  can  live  quietly  at  your  home." 


4-92  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

"  If  the  emperor  had  done  as  much  for  my  father  as  he 
does  for  me,  my  father  would  not  have  died,"  said  Eliza, 
gravely,  accepting  the  paper.  "  Now  he  has  no  longer  need 
of  an  emperor.  He  is  with  God,  and  I  would  I  were  with  him 
above  !  But  I  must  not  leave  my  mother.  I  must  console 
her  and  stay  with  her  as  long  as  it  pleases  God."* 


CHAPTER   XLIV. 

ANDREAS  HOFER'S  DEATH. 

THE  court-martial  at  Mantua  had  passed  sentence  of  death 
upon  Andreas  Hofer  for  fighting  against  the  French  after  the 
last  proclamation  of  Eugene  Beauharnais  offering  a  general 
amnesty.  But  the  court-martial  had  not  adopted  this  decis- 
ion unanimously  ;  several  members  had  voted  for  long  con- 
finement, and  two  had  had  the  courage  to  vote  for  his  entire 
deliverance.  By  a  singular  revolution  of  fortune,  the  same 
General  Bisson,  who  had  been  taken  prisoner  at  Innspruck  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  insurrection,  and  with  whom  Major  Tei- 
mer  had  made  his  triumphal  entry  into  Innspruck,  was  now 
governor  of  Mantua,  and  president  of  the  court-martial  which 
tried  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrolese.  The  general, 
in  consideration  of  his  captivity  among  the  Tyrolese,  wished 
to  act  mildly  and  impartially,  and  sent  a  telegraphic  dispatch 
to  the  viceroy  at  Milan  to  inquire  what  was  to  be  done  with 
Andreas  Hofer,  inasmuch  as  the  sentence  of  the  court-martial 
had  not  been  passed  unanimously.  An  answer  was  returned 
very  soon.  It  contained  the  categorical  order  that  Andreas 
Hofer  should  be  shot  within  twenty-four  hours. 

*  Eliza  Wallner  returned  to  Windisch-Matrey,  and  lived  there  in  quiet 
retirement.  She  never  married.  After  the  death  of  her  mother  she  yielded 
to  Joachim  Haspinger's  entreaties  and  went  to  live  at  his  house.  The  Capu- 
chin was  ordained  and  appointed  pastor  of  Jetelsee,  and  afterward  of  Traun- 
feld.  Eliza  lived  with  him  as  his  adopted  daughter,  and  was  still  with  him 
At  the  time  of  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1856,  at  Salzburg. — See  Schail- 
hnmmer's  "  Joachim  Haspinger,"  p.  184. 


ANDREAS  HOFER'S  DEATH.  493 

Commissioners  of  the  military  authorities,  therefore,  en- 
tered Andreas  Hofer's  cell  on  the  21st  of  February,  and  in- 
formed him  that  he  would  suffer  death  within  two  hours. 

He  listened  to  them  standing,  and  with  unshaken  firmness. 
"  I  shall  die,  then,  at  least  as  a  soldier,  and  not  as  a  criminal," 
he  said,  nodding  his  head  gently.  "  I  am  not  afraid  of  bullets, 
nor  of  the  good  God  either  ;  He  was  always  kind  to  me,  and 
it  is  even  now  kind  in  Him  to  relieve  me  from  my  sufferings 
here.  I  am  ready  to  appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of 
God." 

"  If  you  have  any  special  wishes  to  prefer,  communicate 
them  to  us  now  ;  and  if  it  is  possible,  they  shall  be  granted," 
said  one  of  the  officers,  profoundly  moved. 

"  There  are  some  wishes  which  I  should  like  to  prefer,"  re- 
plied Hofer,  musingly.  "  In  the  first  place.  I  wish  to  see  once 
more  my  dear  Cajetan  Doninger,  who  was  separated  from  me 
and  confined  in  another  cell ;  and  then  I  wish  to  dictate  a 
letter  and  my  last  will,  and  would  request  that  both  be  sent  to 
my  dear  brother-in-law." 

"  These  wishes  shall  be  complied  with  ;  I  promise  it  to  you 
in  the  name  of  General  Bisson.  Do  you  desire  to  prefer  any 
additional  requests  ? " 

"  I  wish  further  that  a  priest  be  sent  to  me,  that  he  may  re- 
ceive my  confession,  and  grant  me  absolution  ;  and  finally,  I 
should  like  to  see  once  more  my  dear  countrymen,  who  are 
imprisoned  in  the  casemates  here,  and  take  leave  of  them  in  a 
few  words." 

"  A  confessor  will  be  sent  to  you,  but  your  last  request  can 
not  be  complied  with,"  was  the  reply.  "  An  exciting  and  per- 
haps disorderly  scene  would  ensue,  and  such  things  must  be 
avoided." 

"Well,  then,"  said  Andreas,  sighing,  "send  me  my  dear 
secretary,  and  afterward  the  priest." 

A  few  minutes  after  the  officers  had  withdrawn,  the  door 
opened,  and  Cajetan  Doninger  came  in.  He  burst  into  tears, 
rushed  toward  Andreas  Hofer,  and  folding  him  to  his  heart, 
exclaimed  mournfully  :  "  Is  it  true,  then,  that  they  intend  to 
kill  you  ?  Is  it  true  that  they  are  going  to  assassinate  the 
noblest  and  best  man  like  a  criminal  ? " 


494  ANDREAS   1IOFER. 

"Hush,  hush,  Cajetan,"  said  Andreas,  gently,  pressing 
Doninger  tenderly  to  his  heart ;  "do  not  scold,  but  submit  as 
I  do.  I  die  gladly,  for  it  is  better  that  I  should  sacrifice  my- 
self for  my  native  country  than  that  others  should  die  for  my 
sake,  or  for  the  fatherland."  * 

"Oh,  would  that  I  could  die  for  you  !"  sobbed  Doninger  ; 
"my  life  is  worthless  without  you.  Is  it  possible  that  you 
must  suffer  now  so  ignominious  a  punishment  for  all  your 
noble  deeds  and  aspirations  ? " 

"God  alone  knows  what  is  good,"  said  Andreas,  mildly, 
"and  I  have  doubtless  committed  many  errors,  for  which  I 
have  to  suffer  now.  But,  Cajetan,  will  you  fulfil  my  last  re- 
quest ? " 

"  Name  it,  and  I  will  comply  with  it." 

"  Then  weep  no  more,  my  dear  friend,  for  your  tears  give 
me  pain.  Be,  as  formerly,  manful  and  firm." 

"  I  will,"  said  Doninger  ;  and  he  dried  his  tears  and  forced 
himself  to  be  calm  and  composed. 

"And  now,  Cajetan,  be  my  secretary  for  the  last  time," 
said  Andreas,  gently.  "I  will  dictate  to  you  a  letter  to  my 
brother-in-law  Pohler,  at  Neustadt.  The  jailer  has  already 
laid  paper,  pen,  and  ink  on  the  table.  Sit  down,  therefore, 
and  write." 

Cajetan  went  to  the  table  and  seated  himself.  "I  am 
ready,  commander-in-chief,"  he  said  ;  "dictate  to  me  now." 

Andreas  walked  up  and  down  several  times  musingly  ;  he 
then  stood  still  near  the  table  ;  a  wondrous  expression  of  se- 
rene calmness  and  peace  beamed  from  his  face,  and  he  dic- 
tated in  a  clear,  quiet  voice,  which  did  not  once  tremble  with 
emotion. 

"  Dearest  brother-in-law  :  It  was  God's  will  that  I  should 
exchange  here  at  Mantua  my  earthly  life  for  a  hetter  one. 
But — God  be  praised  for  his  divine  mercy  ! — it  seems  to  me  as 
little  painful  as  if  I  were  to  be  led  out  for  another  purpose. 
God  in  His  mercy  will  doubtless  be  with  me  to  the  last  mo- 
ment, when  I  shall  ascend  to  that  eternal  dwelling-place  where 
my  soul  will  rejoice  for  evermore  with  all  the  chosen  spirits. 

*  Hofer's  own  words. — See  "  Gallery  of  Heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  1 9,5. 


ANDREAS  HOFER'S  DEATH.  495 

and  where  I  shall  pray  for  all,  and  particularly  for  those  to 
whom  I  owe  ray  intercession  ;  above  all,  for  you.  too,  and 
your  dear  wife,  on  account  of  the  book  which  you  presented 
to  me,  and  of  other  kind  acts.  Let  all  my  dear  friends  and 
acquaintances  pray  for  me  too,  and  help  me  to  rise  from  the 
devouring  flames,  when  I  have  to  expiate  my  sins  in  purga- 
tory. My  beloved  wife,  Anna  Gertrude,  is  to  have  masses 
read  for  me  at  St.  Martin's  Zum  rosenfarbnen  Blut.  She 
shall  have  prayers  read  in  both  of  the  parish-churches,  and 
treat  my  friends  at  the  lower  inn  to  soup  and  meat,  and  give 
every  one  half  a  bottle  of  wine.  The  money  I  had  about  me 
will  be  distributed  among  the  poor  of  this  city  ;  for  the  rest, 
settle  with  my  debtors  and  creditors  as  honestly  as  you  can, 
lest  I  should  have  to  atone  for  it  also.  Farewell,  all  of  you, 
for  this  world,  until  we  shall  meet  in  heaven  and  praise  God 
for  evermore.  Dearest  brother-in-law,  repair  to  the  Passeyr 
valley,  and  inform  the  landlord  of  the  lower  inn  of  my  in- 
structions. He  will  make  all  necessary  dispositions.  Let 
all  the  inhabitants  of  Passeyr,  and  all  my  acquaintances  re- 
member me  in  their  prayers.  Dearest  brother-in-law,  tell 
my  wife,  Anna  Gertrude,  not  to  grieve  for  me.  I  shall  pray 
to  God  for  her  and  for  all.  Adieu,  beautiful  world  !  Dy 
ing  seems  to  me  so  easy  that  there  are  not  even  tears  in  my 
eyes. 

"  Written  at  nine  o'clock  ;  at  ten  I  shall  ascend  to  God 
with  the  aid  of  all  the  saints. 

"Your . 

"Mantua,  February  20, 1810.''* 

"I  will  write  the  signature  as  I  always  did,"  said  Andreas 
Hofer  ;  and,  taking  up  the  pen  quickly,  he  wrote  : 

"  Your  Andreas  Hofer,  from  Sand  in  Passeyr,  whom  you 
loved  in  this  life.  I  will  set  out  on  my  last  journey  in  the 
Lord's  name."t 

"  I  thank  you,  Cajetan,  for  rendering  me  this  last  service," 
said  Andreas,  kindly.  ''  And  now,  my  dear  friend,  let  us  take 

*  "  Gallery  of  heroes :  Andreas  Hofer,"  p.  197. 
t  "  Gallery  of  Heroes." 


496  ANDREAS   HOFER. 

leave  of  each  other.    The  confessor  will  be  here  soon,  and  then 
I  must  no  longer  speak  to  any  one  but  God." 

Cajetan  came  to  him  with  a  tottering  step,  and  leaned  his 
head  silently  on  Hofer's  shoulder.  He  did  not  speak,  he 
wanted  to  be  firm,  but  he  was  unable  to  restrain  the  sobs  and 
sighs  which  issued  from  his  breast. 

"  My  dear  Cajetan,  why  do  you  weep  ? "  asked  Hofer,  press- 
ing Doninger's  head  gently  to  his  heart.  "Did  you  weep 
when  I  went  into  battle,  where  the  enemy's  bullets  might  have 
hit  me  at  any  second  ?  You  did  not  weep  then.  Think,  there- 
fore, that  I  am  going  into  battle  to-day  too,  and  that  it  is  bet- 
ter for  me  to  be  hit  by  the  bullets  than  suffer  any  longer  in 
this  manner. " 

At  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  the  priest,  Giovanni 
Giacomo  Manifesti,  dressed  in  full  vestments,  came  in.  The 
guards  who  followed  him  led  away  Doninger,  who  obeyed 
them  in  silence,  as  if  stunned  by  his  terrible  grief.* 

Andreas  Hofer  remained  alone  with  his  confessor. 

At  eleven  o'clock  the  doors  of  the  prison  were  thrown 
open,  and  Andreas  Hofer  was  led  out  to  execution.  His  face 
was  serene,  and  in  his  hands  he  held  the  small  crucifix  which 
he  had  always  worn  on  his  breast.  His  confessor,  Manifesti, 
walked  by  his  side,  and  a  battalion  of  grenadiers  followed 
him. 

Andreas  Hofer  walked  along  the  ramparts  of  the  fortress 
with  a  firm  step.  As  he  passed  by  the  barracks  of  the  Porta 
Molina,  where  the  Tyrolese  prisoners  were  confined,  they  fell 
on  their  knees  and  wept  aloud.  Andreas  turned  quickly  to 
Manifesti,  the  priest.  "  Your  reverence,"  he  said,  "  you  will 
distribute  among  my  poor  countrymen  the  five  hundred 
florins,  my  last  property,  which  I  gave  to  you,  will  you  not  ? " 

"I  will,  my  son." 

"  And  take  my  greetings  to  all,"  said  Andreas  Hofer,  in  a 
grave,  loud  voice,  "  and  tell  them  not  to  be  disheartened,  nor 
to  think  that  all  is  lost,  and  that  we  have  fought  and  bled  in 

*  Cajetan  Doninger  was  taken  immediately  after  Hofer's  execution,  from 
his  prison,  and  sent  to  the  Island  of  Corsica,  as  a  private  in  a  regiment  of  light 
infantry.  He  succeeded,  some  time  afterward,  in  escaping  from  thence,  and 
returning  to  his  native  country. 


ANDREAS   HOFER'S   DEATH.  497 

vain.  Better  times  will  dawn  upon  my  beloved  Tyrol,  and 
one  day  it  will  be  again  a  free  German  country.  Tell  them  to 
hope  and  believe  in  this  prediction." 

On  the  broad  bastion,  a  little  distance  from  the  Porta  Ce- 
resa,  the  grenadiers  formed  a  square,  open  in  the  rear.  An- 
dreas Hofer  entered  this  open  space  with  the  priest,  bowed 
kindly  to  all  sides,  and  prayed  aloud  with  the  priest. 

"  Now,  farewell,  dear  reverend  father,"  he  then  said,  "  and 
accept  this  crucifix  as  a  souvenir  from  me.  I  have  worn  it  on 
my  breast  for  twenty  years  past,  and  it  will  remind  you  of 
Andreas  Hofer.  Inform  my  wife  that  I  suffered  death  joy- 
ously, and  that  I  know  we  shall  meet  again  above.  You  prom- 
ised me  to  do  so,  and  you  will  redeem  your  promise,  rever- 
end father,  will  you  not  ? " 

"  Certainly  I  will,  my  beloved,  pious  son,"  said  Manifesti ; 
and  with  tears  in  his  eyes  he  embraced  and  blessed  Andreas 
Hofer  for  the  last  time.* 

The  priest  thereupon  left  the  square,  while  twelve  men  and 

*  Manifesti  redeemed  his  promise.  He  sent  to  the  Tyrol  the  following  let- 
ter regarding  Hofer's  death : 

MANTOVA,  li  21,  Febrajo,  1810. 

"  leri  poco  primo  del  mezzo  giorno  £  stato  fucillato  il  Signore  Andrea  Ho- 
fer, gia  commandante  del  Tirolo.  Dalla  commissione  militare,  che  1'ha  sen- 
tentiato,  fu  invitato  ad  assisterlo,  e  sebbene  fossi  convalescente  per  una  mala- 
dia  pocchi  giorno  avanti  soiferta,  ho  volonteri  assento  1'impegno,  e  con  somma 
mia  consolazione  ed  edificatione  ho  ammirato  un  uomo,  che  e  andato  alia 
morte  d'un  eroe  Christiano  e  1'ha  sostenuto  di  martire  intrepido.  Egli  con 
tutta  segretezza  mi  ha  consegnata  una  carta  di  somma  importanza  per  1'orfona 
sua  famiglia,  incaricando  mi  dirigerla  a  V.  Sig.  Rio  M. — Sono  con  perfetta 
stima, 

"  Di  V.  S.  Eio  M. 

"  Divotissimo, 

"  Giov.  BATT.  (AKCIPKETK)  MANIFEST!." 

"  MANTUA,  Feb.  21, 1810. — Yesterday,  a  few  minutes  before  twelve,  Mr. 
Andreas  Hofer,  late  commander  of  the  Tyrol,  was  shot  here.  The  military 
commission  which  tried  him  requested  me  to  attend  him,  and  although  1  had 
recovered  but  a  few  days  since  from  sickness,  I  gladly  complied  with  the  re- 
quest, and  admired,  to  my  consolation  and  edification,  a  man  who  went  to 
death  as  a  Christian  hero,  and  suffered  it  as  an  intrepid  martyr.  Under  the 
seal  of  profound  silence  he  intrusted  to  me  a  paper  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance to  his  family,"  &c.— See  Hormayr's  "  Lebensbilder,"  vol.  i.  p.  224. 


498  ANDREAS  HOFER. 

a  corporal  stood  forth  with  loaded  muskets.    The  corporal  of- 
fered Hofer  a  white  handkerchief  to  bandage  his  eyes. 

"No,"  said  Hofer.  '*!  have  often  already  faced  death  ;  it 
is  a  dear  friend  of  mine,  and  I  want  to  see  it,  therefore,  when 
it  comes  to  me." 

u  Kneel  down,  then,"  said  the  corporal. 

"  I  shall  not,"  replied  Hofer,  gravely  and  almost  imperi- 
ously. "  I  am  used  to  stand  upright  before  my  Creator,  and 
in  that  posture  I  will  deliver  up  my  spirit  to  Him.  But  pray," 
he  added  in  a  milder  voice,  "  aim  well.  Come,  corporal,  I  will 
give  you  yet  a  souvenir  ;  it  is  my  whole  remaining  property. 
Look  at  this  Zwanziger  ;  I  had  it  coined  when  I  was  corn- 
man  der-in- chief  of  the  Tyrol  :  and  it  reminds  me  now  of  my 
beloved  country,  and  it  seems  to  me  as  though  its  snow-clad 
mountains  were  looking  down  on  me  and  greeting  me.  There, 
keep  it  as  a  remembrancer,  and  aim  well  !  " 

The  corporal  stepped  back  and  commanded  in  a  voice 
tremulous  with  emotion,  "  Fire  !  " 

"  Fire  ! "  shouted  Hofer.     "  Long  live  the  Tyrol ! " 
Six  shots  rang  out,  but  Andreas  Hofer  was  not  dead  ;  he 
had  sunk  only  on  one  knee  and  leaned  on  his  right  hand. 

Six  shots  crashed  again.  They  struck  him  to  the  ground, 
but  did  not  yet  kill  him.  He  raised  his  bleeding  head  once 
more. 

The  corporal,  filled  with  pity,  stepped  now  close  up  to  him, 
put  his  musket  to  Hofer's  forehead,  and  fired. 

This  thirteenth  shot  dispatched  him  at  length  ! 

The  grenadiers  raised  the  corpse  and  carried  it  on  a  black 
bier  to  St.  Michael's  church,  where  it  lay  in  state  during  the 
requiem,  that  the  people  might  convince  themselves  of  the 
death  of  the  beloved  and  feared  commander-in-chief  of  the 
Tyrol,  Le  G&n&ral  Sanvird,  Andreas  Hofer,  the  Barbone,  and 
of  the  final  subjugation  of  the  Tyrol.* 

*  Hofer's  remains  were  buried  in  Manifestos  garden.  A  simple  slab  on 
his  grave  bore  the  following  inscription  :  "  Qui  giace  la  spoglia  del  fu  Andrea 
Hofer,  detto  il  Generale  Barbone,  commandante  supremo  delle  milicie  del 
Tirolo,  fucillato  in  questa  forterezza  nel  giorno  20  Febrajo  1810,  sepolto  in 
questo  luogo."  ("  Here  rest  the  remains  of  the  late  Andreas  Hofer,  called 
General  Barbone,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Tyrolese  militia,  shot  in  this  for- 


ANDREAS   HOFER'S  DEATH.  499 

This  occurred  on  the  20th  of  February,  1810  ;  and  on  the 
same  day  on  which  Andreas  Hofer  was  shot  at  Mantua,  be- 
cause he  had  loved  his  country  and  his  Emperor  Francis  too 
faithfully,  almost  at  the  very  hour  of  his  death,  the  booming 
of  artillery  was  to  be  heard  on  the  ramparts  of  Vienna. 

It  proclaimed  to  the  Viennese  the  joyful  news  that  the 
Archduchess  Maria  Louisa,  the  emperor's  daughter,  was  the 
affianced  bride  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon  ! 

tress  on  the  20th  of  February,  1810,  and  buried  in  this  place.")  Fourteen 
years  afterward  Hofcr's  remains  were  disinterred  by  three  Austrian  officers, 
who  had  obtained  Manifesti's  consent,  and  conveyed  to  Botzen.  The  Em- 
peror Francis  gave  orders  to  transfer  them  to  Innspruck,  where  they  were 
buried  in  the  church  of  the  Franciscans  by  the  side  of  the  monument  of  the 
Archduke  Ferdinand  and  his  beloved  Philippina  Welser. — See  Hormayr'a 
"  Andreas  Hofer,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  539. 


THE  END. 


